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HOOSICK — Nearly 100 homes and businesses were evacuated Monday as fire crews from across the county dealt with a burning tanker truck carrying 9,500 gallons of combustible liquid propane.
The truck went off an embankment on the side of Route 7 west of Route 22 around 12:30 p.m., officials said, and caught fire. Officials said Monday afternoon the fire could last well into the night — perhaps continuing into today and possibly beyond — as propane leaks out of the truck and then ignites.
For fear of an explosion, the evacuation, spanning a one-mile radius of the site, remains in effect indefinitely. By later Monday, firefighters were also keeping their distance and were not actively fighting the fire.
Troy Fire Chief Tom Garrett, whose crews were among at least 10 departments on the scene, said there is a “very good chance” the tanker could explode. He said officials fear what is known as a boiling liquid explosive vapor explosion, or BLEVE.
“If this BLEVEs, this would be a huge explosion because there’s 10,000 gallons of propane on this thing. A tanker could turn basically into a rocket, depending on which end it blows out of,” he said.
Route 7 was closed indefinitely from Babcock Lake Road to Route 22, Deputy County Executive Chris Meyer said.
Shelters for those displaced were established at Hoosick Baptist Church on South Street and the Pittstown Ambulance Squad on Parker School Road in Johnsonville. Red Cross volunteers were at each to provide food, water and other assistance, and the agency said it was committed to long-term shelters if necessary.
View Hoosick propane tanker rollover in a larger map
Joann Ely, who lives near the intersection of Route 7 and Fox Hollow Road, said she walked over to the site after her power went out and she saw traffic backing up. She saw the tanker burning and smoking at the bottom of an embankment, she said. Continued...
Firefighters told her to leave, she said, and Ely was later told at her door she needed to get even further away.
“Now we don’t know what to do,” she said, sitting in a van with her husband, children and pets near Hoosick Baptist Church. “What do we do with our animals?”
The driver of the truck was airlifted to Albany Medical Center Hospital with a reported head injury, said Jackie Fiore, a spokeswoman for the Rensselaer County Sheriff's Department.
Hoosick evacuation area 3-28-11
The tanker is operated by Venezia Inc., Fiore said. A call to the company’s headquarters in Royersford, Penn. was directed to their safety division, where a woman said the company had no information about the fire or the driver’s condition.
Fiore said and the department’s commercial vehicle enforcement unit was at the scene. The State Police’s commercial vehicle unit reported there as well, Trooper Maureen Tuffey said.
Dave Canfield can be reached at 270-1290 or by e-mail at dcanfield@troyrecord.com.
More Photos
Click thumbnails to enlarge
HOOSICK — Nearly 100 homes and businesses were evacuated Monday as fire crews from across the county dealt with a burning tanker truck carrying 9,500 gallons of combustible liquid propane.
The truck went off an embankment on the side of Route 7 west of Route 22 around 12:30 p.m., officials said, and caught fire. Officials said Monday afternoon the fire could last well into the night — perhaps continuing into today and possibly beyond — as propane leaks out of the truck and then ignites.
For fear of an explosion, the evacuation, spanning a one-mile radius of the site, remains in effect indefinitely. By later Monday, firefighters were also keeping their distance and were not actively fighting the fire.
Troy Fire Chief Tom Garrett, whose crews were among at least 10 departments on the scene, said there is a “very good chance” the tanker could explode. He said officials fear what is known as a boiling liquid explosive vapor explosion, or BLEVE.
“If this BLEVEs, this would be a huge explosion because there’s 10,000 gallons of propane on this thing. A tanker could turn basically into a rocket, depending on which end it blows out of,” he said.
Route 7 was closed indefinitely from Babcock Lake Road to Route 22, Deputy County Executive Chris Meyer said.
Shelters for those displaced were established at Hoosick Baptist Church on South Street and the Pittstown Ambulance Squad on Parker School Road in Johnsonville. Red Cross volunteers were at each to provide food, water and other assistance, and the agency said it was committed to long-term shelters if necessary.
View Hoosick propane tanker rollover in a larger map
Joann Ely, who lives near the intersection of Route 7 and Fox Hollow Road, said she walked over to the site after her power went out and she saw traffic backing up. She saw the tanker burning and smoking at the bottom of an embankment, she said.
Firefighters told her to leave, she said, and Ely was later told at her door she needed to get even further away.
“Now we don’t know what to do,” she said, sitting in a van with her husband, children and pets near Hoosick Baptist Church. “What do we do with our animals?”
The driver of the truck was airlifted to Albany Medical Center Hospital with a reported head injury, said Jackie Fiore, a spokeswoman for the Rensselaer County Sheriff's Department.
Hoosick evacuation area 3-28-11
The tanker is operated by Venezia Inc., Fiore said. A call to the company’s headquarters in Royersford, Penn. was directed to their safety division, where a woman said the company had no information about the fire or the driver’s condition.
Fiore said and the department’s commercial vehicle enforcement unit was at the scene. The State Police’s commercial vehicle unit reported there as well, Trooper Maureen Tuffey said.
Dave Canfield can be reached at 270-1290 or by e-mail at dcanfield@troyrecord.com.
Comments
The following are comments from the readers. In no way do they represent the view of troyrecord.com.
Skye'smom wrote on Mar 29, 2011 6:24 PM:
That road where the trucker went off IS SO DECEIVING!!! I drive that road twice a day going to, and from work. That cornder where the tanker went off, IS REALLY DECEIVING. It curves to the left, the "bank or tilt" to the road IS NOT ENOUGH. THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH warning signs BEFORE the start of Tibbets State Forest. One reduced speed limit sign DOES NOT MAKE A ROAD SAFE!!!
I have been saying for a long long time, they need flashing caution lights, with the reduced speed limit sign, with the visual of a truck tipping. They NEED MORE caution signs along the stretch heading East into Tibbets Forest. From the Rt7 and Rt 22 intersection heading west until you get to the OUTSKIRTS (west side) of Pittsown, that road gives ALOT of locals the nervous sweats!! Turning off of Rte 7 onto a side road or a driveway is NERVE WRACKING AT BEST when you have just come off of a CURVE, COMBINED with A HILL, THEN you have to hope and pray the drivers well behind you come into the corner/hill and see your stopped car awaiting traffic to go by in the opposite direction before making your turn!!!
HOW MANY MORE ACCIDENTS HAVE TO HAPPEN BEFORE THIS GETS TAKEN CARE OF?!!!!
As someone who has to drive from Pittstown into Hoosick Falls for work AT NIGHT,..I can not tell you how many time sjust myself have had "close-calls". Yes driving IS everyone's responsibility, but that section of "SUICIDE 7" is NOT marked well enough for folks who are not familar with this section of road!!
Im bound to believe, being unfamilar with the road and excess speed going into the first turn was the reason for the accident.
I HOPE NYSDOT takes a LONG and BETTER look at that section of road. Put up signs that hopefully will strike the fear of God into ppl so they approach Tibbets State Forest with ALOT MORE caution. "
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