SPARTANBURG, S.C. --
Two firefighters were taken to a local hospital after a tanker overturned and spilled about 8,000 gallons of fuel in Spartanburg County on Tuesday morning.
Troopers said that the Hot Spot tanker was hauling about 6,000 gallons of gasoline and about 2,000 gallons of diesel fuel on Southport Road when it collided with a pickup truck at about 7:30 a.m. They said the tanker flipped over and spilled the fuel.
Hazmat crews were called to the scene to clean up the spill. They sprayed a special foam on the fuel to prevent it from catching fire and to limit the amount of fumes in the air.
Officials said that the fumes sent two firefighters to a local hospital after they complained of breathing problems.
Southport Road between Highway 221 and Highway 56 was closed while hazmat crews work to clean up the spill
Officials asked motorists to avoid the area until the crash is cleared.
Troopers said that the driver of the tanker, 37-year-old Terry Mahaffey, of Greenville, was taken to Spartanburg Regional Medical Center and treated for non-life-threatening injuries. They said that the driver of the pick up, 23-year-old Christopher Avery, of Lyman, was treated and released.
The conditions of the two firefighters were not immediately available.
Copyright 2009 by foxcarolina.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
