Woke up last Wednesday to the news that a fuel tanker had crashed at the Bourne Rotary and the bridge was closed. About 5,000 gallons spilled out (out of about 11,000 gallons), soaking through the soil and getting down the storm drains. A small slick appeared in the Canal.
It had happened around 11:30 on Tuesday night and the Bridge remained closed till about 9:30 am on Wed. Traffic on the other side was at a complete standstill as there was only one bridge to accommodate rush hour traffic and everyone was being detoured and trying to use it.
Apparently the driver failed to notice that there was a rotary at the end of the bridge. I'm not quite sure how that can be. It's a huge mound with 'Cape Cod' written in shrubbery, and still glowing white with snow. Plus the speed limit coming down that side reduces to about 30, so he must've been flying. A witness said that he tried to turn right at the last second but it was too late. He smashed into the curb and the truck rolled. He was able to get out and was taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
Hazmat was called, fire retardant foam was sprayed, fire departments from four towns showed up. I can't believe the truck didn't explode. That was a bit of luck anyway. Web image
All I can think is that he'd either never been here before, or got it confused with the Sagamore Bridge, because the Mid-Cape Highway is on the other side. It's a smooth ride downhill off the bridge and onto a highway. Web image
I saw the stories on my newsfeed when I got up at 7:00 am. News reports said that the Bridge wouldn't reopen till about 8. I decided that this was probably a once in a lifetime opportunity to see the bridge completely devoid of cars. So I jumped in the car and headed up to an area where there's Bridge access along the curb...it's actually an old bridge approach from the 70s before they built Highway 25.
This is looking down 25 where normally there would be tons of cars and trucks headed over, but they were all detoured into Buzzards Bay and Wareham.
This is looking down 25 where normally there would be tons of cars and trucks headed over, but they were all detoured into Buzzards Bay and Wareham.
Wow. Not a single vehicle. How often does this happen during the day? Almost never.
Then I drove over to the park at the Railroad Bridge to get a full-on shot of the empty bridge.
Then of course I had to get a couple more pictures...since I was there and all.
The environmental cost and pricetag to clean it up is going to be really bad. The Canal should be fine; I'm sure it sees way more fuel sheens from the marine traffic. Containment booms were deployed but it dissipated in the sun fairly quickly. But the soil and the rotary area are contaminated and must be dug out. This is going to take at least two weeks, which means a traffic nightmare for the region as the rotary is now down to one lane. As for the driver, I can only imagine that he must feel pretty mortified that he caused this. He is facing DOT fines, probably the loss of his job and CDL, as apparently he didn't have the best driving record to begin with. I saw that his company is going to be responsible for the cost of cleanup. A very costly mistake indeed.
How can he miss a roundabout? Must have been fast asleep or something. Good pix as usual JoJo.
ReplyDeleteThanks. That's what we all said....how could he miss that thing? He was clearly speeding too. It's probably a good thing if his CDL is taken away; we don't need a menace like that on the roads. He's lucky he didn't get killed or kill anyone.
DeleteOy vey. I was initially thinking that maybe he fell asleep at the wheel. Truckers work ridiculously long hours and many accidents and lethalities are caused by this. But it doesn't sound like this was the case. Sounds as though he should've have been behind the wheel. Sad, but I'm glad nobody was hurt.
ReplyDeleteHe might have been sleeping.....the thing is he didnt' come from that far away. His company is in Westport, that's less than an hour from here. It was only 11:30 pm. That's what's so perplexing.
DeletePS I meant that he shouldn't have been behind the wheel, maybe not ever.
ReplyDeleteLOL I knew what you meant! :D
DeleteOh what a mess indeed ! Sounds like that trucker should be behind a desk (or maybe flipping hamburgers) instead of behind the wheel of an 18 wheeler. My oldest daughter is a trucker, drives a big rig and she is always complaining about the stupidity of some truckers.
ReplyDeleteRussell is always complaining about the other drivers too. When I told him about this accident he immediately blamed the driver. I just saw in the paper that he's being charged with all kinds of major traffic violations.
DeleteMaybe he had a medical episode...some sort of attack? Hard to say but the damage...wow. It will take a while to clean up that mess.
ReplyDeleteNope. This is what the state polices are charging him with: 1.) Negligent Operation of a Motor Vehicle; 2.) Operating at a Speed Greater than Reasonable and Proper; and 3.) Failure to Stay Within Marked Lanes.
DeleteClean up continues and traffic is a horror show.
In a second and everything changes. I do admire truck drivers who usually drive safely and do help when needed. When I taught in LA, I had to use two freeways and then go over four lanes to my exit. If a truck driver was in the far lane as I struggled and signaled, they always slowed down, honked their horn until I was safely over to the exit lane. Always helped me.
ReplyDeleteYou drove in LA? You deserve a medal for that! I drove there once and it was nerve wracking! My husband is a trucker and he has told me hair raising stories about the other drivers, esp. those gas tanker and Fed Ex trucks. My guy plods along safely as possible.
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