Rt. 95 completely open after fuel leak

All lanes on Route 95 South in Attleboro are now back open after a tanker rollover and massive aviation fuel spill on the highway caused a potentially explosive situation.

The tanker, which was carrying 11,000 gallons of aviation fuel, was headed to T.F. Green Airport around 4:45 this morning when, according to Trooper Eric Benson, the driver of a Volvo lost control of his car on Rt. 95 in Attleboro, hit a jersey barrier and slammed into the cab of the tanker.

The truck then rolled over and landed on the hood of the Volvo, sending fuel spilling out onto the highway. Under the direction of the Attleboro fire chief, who is the incident commander, foam was sprayed onto the truck and leaked fuel to reduce any chance of ignition.

Although HAZMAT crews had stopped the leak and got most of the fuel off the truck, fire officials said the danger was, for a while, still very real.

"So once the vehicle is empty, now it is a bomb, and until we get those vapors out it continues to be that," said Glenn Livesay, Attleboro Fire Dept.

Because aviation fuel is so combustable, crews evacuated about a dozen nearby homes on Read St., Spur St. and Tanya Drive as a precaution. That evacuation order was lifted around 1:30 p.m.

"No one is coming back to this neighborhood until that vehicle is inert," said Livesay.

A news conference about the accident was held right on Route 95 South, a normally very busy highway, which was shut down. Initially both directions of the interstate were closed, however, northbound lanes reopened around 6:30 a.m. and two lanes southbound reopened at 3:30 p.m.

Three people were injured in the accident. The driver of the tanker, 37-year-old Michael Cowan of Northbridge, Mass., the driver of the Volvo, Andrew Tavarez, 20,  and his passenger Hope Amaral, 19, both from East Providence were all taken to Rhode Island Hospital. None of them have serious injuries.

"Certainly, any time there is a tractor trailer rollover that's carrying 11,000 gallons worth of aviation fuel, everybody involved is certainly lucky," Benson said.

The tanker is owned by C. White Trucking of Rocky Hill, Conn., according to Benson.

There are no charges at this time.

Environmental officials are assessing the impact of the leaked fuel into soil and drainage basins.Officials urge anyone who smells a fuel or petroleum-type odor coming from a storm drain to call police immediately.