TRACTOR TRAILER ACCIDENT CLOSES COLDSTREAM ROAD
 
By Deputy Chief Chuck Fields
December 14, 2017
 

Thursday Morning at 8:15 AM Volunteers from Kimberton (61) Fire and West End Ambulance were alerted for an accident on Coldstream Road at the 'S' bends in Charlestown Twp. Crews found the roadway completely closed due to a pole and wires down across the roadway and on top of the tractor trailer. Firefighters also found wires down on an unoccupied school bus. Nobody was injured but the concern quickly changed to the morning traffic issues and bringing out the utilities. Upon further investigation Firefighters found the tractor trailer had ruptured its diesel tank and was leaking fuel directly into a small waterway. The DEP was notified and crews began to work to mitigate the spill. Firefighters began placing special spill pads into the steam and worked their way downstream to find the head of the spill and contain it. A representative from DEP met with Deputy Chief Fields on the scene and approved the action plan that was in place. Firefighters spent three (3) hours on the scene working to keep the roadway closed until flaggers from Flagger Force arrived with the Electric Company Pole crews. They also spent hours in the stream mitigating the spillage. The FD cleared just after 11 AM, but the roadway remained closed into the evening hours as utility crews attempted to clean-up the pole and wires mess.

 
Units: Engine 61, Traffic 61, Utility 61, Tac 61 and Deputy 61
 
Mutual Aid: MICU 67