UPDATE: Oil Truck Overturns on Southern Maine’s I-295 [PHOTOS]
State Police say a medical issue likely caused the driver of a fuel truck to lose control of the vehicle today and it overturned along I-295 in South Portland.
UPDATE:
The truck had just left the South Portland fuel depot and its entire load of 2900 gallons of home heating oil spilled. Traffic has been reduced to one lane for both north and southbound traffic and that will continue for the rest of the afternoon, causing backups in both directions. The driver of the truck, 58 year old Dale Brown of Topsham, is being treated at Maine Medical for a head injury from the crash and his medical issue, suspected to be heart related. Both conditions are believed to be non-life threatening.
The wreckage of the fuel truck is being removed now, but cleanup efforts overseen by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection will continue for the rest of the afternoon. The oil spilled onto the road, went into the median and flowed into a drain pipe into the Fore River. Sand was brought in to the scene by the Maine Department of Transportation to assist in the cleanup efforts.
Troopers said Brown lost control of the truck and it struck a guardrail and a cement abutment, before overturning . Brown is the owner of the truck whose business is Dale’s Cash Fuel in Richmond.
ORIGINAL STORY:
State Police are investigating the crash of a home delivery oil truck which has overturned on the northbound side of I-295 in Portland at exit 4.
Oil is leaking. The ramp is closed and the Interstate traffic is down to one lane on the northbound side. It is expected it will take a couple of hours to clear the wreck.