On Monday January 13th, 2003, Cowlitz County Fire District #5 in Kalama, WA. was dispatched to a report of a fuel truck up side down spilling fuel. Dispatch was at 10:44 hours with first arriving units on scene at 10:46.
On arrival units found a 1987 GMC, single axle, four compartment tanker truck upside down and spilling fuel. The driver was trapped inside the cab and extrication was needed. Extrication was started while spill containment was initiated. It is estimated that around 500 gallons of off road diesel spilled into the waterway. Extrication was hampered by the limited access into and around what was left of the cab, the entanglement of the driver in the cab, and the grade of the embankment.
The driver was extricated after one and a half-hours and air lifted to Emanuel hospital in Portland, OR. Patient outcome is good.
Agencies involved were six units from Cowlitz County Fire District #5, Washington State Patrol, Washington Department of Ecology, Cowlitz County Sheriff
