Aurora firefighters contained a diesel spill from a 100-gallon fuel truck late Friday night, averting a potential explosion.
Aurora Fire Rescue responded to a crash near East 40th Avenue and Airport Boulevard — near the Regional Transportation District’s Gateway Park Station — just before midnight, according to a press release from the agency.
A semi-truck was hit by an oncoming black Acura sedan while pulling out of a parking lot onto East 40th Avenue, the agency said. Diesel immediately began streaming out of the fuel trailer.
By the time the fire department arrived at the scene, the diesel spill had reached nearly a quarter mile in length. Responders then shut down westbound traffic on East 40th Avenue.
Responders dammed the spill and offloaded approximately 30 gallons from the saddle tank so the truck could be safely towed, the agency said. Responders also stopped the flow of fuel 10 feet from storm drains.
“Fuel spills pose a serious danger. The fuel vapors are both highly toxic and highly flammable, presenting safety risks of inhalation by bystanders and responders, as well as possible ignition that results in fire or explosion. The gas also is difficult to clean up and can cause significant environmental damage,” Aurora Fire Rescue said in a press release Saturday.