The Prince William County Department of Fire & Rescue has announced a private company will be leading the clean-up efforts after last night’s fuel spill at 12691 Braemar Village Plaza.
While the spill has been cleaned up at the scene, residents may smell gasoline along rivers and tributaries for some time.
Extent of Fuel Spill Greater Than Previously Estimated
Fire & Rescue is estimating that 7,500 gallons of gasoline were spilled at the Braemar Safeway Station Bristow due to a one-vehicle accident at 10:30 p.m., July 11, in which a Hahn Transportation fuel tanker out of New Market, Maryland, crashed, rolling onto its side.
“Upon arrival, fire and rescue units and the hazmat team observed an overturned fuel truck, with a total capacity of 8,500 gallons of gasoline, leaking onto the roadway,” said Public Information Specialist Kim Hylander.
Hazmat personnel helped to decontaminate the driver.
Driver and Personnel Require Hazmat Decontamination
“Responding fire department units performed emergency decontamination of the driver who was treated and transported to a local hospital for non-life-threatening injuries,” Hylander said.
Sometime after 3 a.m., hazmat teams were able to recover 1,000 gallons directly from the tanker into a second tanker, and Fire & Rescue is now estimating that the remaining 7,500 gallons have spilled out onto the road.
In addition, two hazmat technicians were exposed to contamination in an attempt to control the leak. However, they underwent the decontamination process and neither suffered serious injuries, she said.
Hahn Transportation Takes Responsibility, Hires Environmental Company
Clean-up efforts were hindered by the heavy rain and led to concern that contamination might leak into the water, Police Spokesman Officer Jonathan Perok said.
“Heavy rain in the area complicated containment of the spill,” Hylander said, but hazmat and fire and rescue crews worked throughout the night.
Hahn Transportation has retained Hepaco Environmental “to take the lead to mitigate the hazard and minimize the environmental impact,” said Hylander. “Hepaco will be assuming responsibility for all environmental clean-up.”
Fire & Rescue is reporting that water and air quality will be closely monitored going forward.
“The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency have been notified and are on scene to assess the environmental impact, support clean-up efforts and monitor downstream conditions,” Hylander said.
These experts have told county officials they are anticipating "an odor of gasoline in the area downstream on Broad Run to Lake Jackson and possibly the Occoquan Reservoir for an extended period of time,” said Hylander.
Emergency Units and First Responders
Responding units included 25 fire and rescue crews from Prince William County and surrounding districts, over 115 firefighters, as well as support from the Virginia Department of Emergency Management Regional Hazmat Office and assistance from the Virginia Regional Hazmat Team.
The City of Fairfax, Fairfax County and Metropolitan Washington Authority supplied foam trucks.
“They used approximately 1,000 gallons of foam to suppress gasoline vapors and minimize a chance of a fire,” Hylander said.
Additionally, more than 20 Prince William County police officers assisted with evacuation and traffic control.
Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) and Department of Public Works also responded. According to Officer Perok, VDOT supplied sand to absorb some of the fuel that had spilled onto the road.
Sudley Manor Drive, Braemar Village Plaza Businesses Open
While Fire & Rescue units have cleared the scene, Sudley Manor Drive is now open. However, police anticipate there may be some lane closures throughout the day.
Braemar Village Plaza has since reopened after Fire and Rescue crews “performed monitoring and assessed impact to businesses to ensure safety prior to allowing them to reopen,” Hylander said.
Businesses were cleared to open at 10 a.m.; Bank of America will remain closed today.
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