Tanker overturns on Rockaway Turnpike in North Lawrence
The leak is now under control, but officials say gasoline spilled onto the street, storm drains and waterways of Jamaica Bay.
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A tanker overturned Wednesday morning on Rockaway Turnpike in North Lawrence, according to Nassau County fire officials.
Authorities say they were notified of the incident around 11:08 a.m. Upon arrival, they found gasoline leaking into the storm drains. Hazmat crews were also called in to assist.
The leak is now under control, but officials say gasoline spilled onto the street, storm drains and waterways of Jamaica Bay.
"At that time, though it only had 8,500 gallons on it. One of the compartments did rupture and begins to spill, so we have approximately 2,000 gallons of gasoline product that is left the truck," says Nassau County Chief Fire Marshal Michael Uttaro.
Surveillance video shared with News 12 from a nearby business shows the moment the tanker flipped over, as well as people who work there immediately come outside to see what's going on.
"The building shook really hard. Heard like a thud," says Queens resident Sonnett Anderson, who also works nearby. "We've never seen anything like that before here, and with gasoline I know it's a flammable liquid, which is very volatile, so we decided we needed to get out right away."
All lanes of Rockaway Turnpike from the intersections of Peninsula to Brookville boulevards are closed in both directions.
Officials say the state DEC and Coast Guard are assisting.
Officials say three people were injured, but no one was taken to the hospital, and the driver of the tanker is OK.
Fire officials say they are receiving numerous calls from residents reporting the smell, as the gasoline went into the sewer.
The DEC tells News 12 it will remain on site to direct the cleanup to ensure protection of human health and the environment.
