Milk Tanker Overturns on Interstate 70
 
By Assistant Fire Chief Matthew Thews
May 21, 2015
 

On Wednesday May 20th at 0615 hours units from New Market and Mount Airy were alerted for a tractor trailer rollover with a vehicle on fire on Interstate 70 Eastbound at Exit 68. A159 (FF Rosebrock), RE153 (DFRS Capt. Cave), E152 (Sgt. Hanagan), B156(AFC Thews), U15 (FF Heller), and C15 (Chief Nalborczyk) responded with 17 personnel. Units arrived on the scene to find a milk tanker overturned in the median with an active leak. There also was a second vehicle involved with neither vehicle on fire. C15 held the I-70 Command. Crews assessed and transported two patients to the hospital. Simultaneously, crews worked to control the milk leaking from the tanker. Milk is considered a hazardous material due to its ill effects on waterways. The Frederick County Hazmat team and Maryland Department of the Environment were requested. Units worked to dam the milk as to keep it from reaching storm drains. The HIRT units also pumped off the remaining diesel fuel from the truck. The plan was then to pump the pooled milk into another milk tanker. This was accomplished by using hydraulic pumps provided by Howard County SOPS10 and a VAC truck from Frederick County Roads. The incident was mitigated by 1300 hours and all units returned to service.

 
Units: A159 RE153 E152 B156 U15 C15
 
Mutual Aid: CCA18 CCM1 CCR1 CCE12 CCU1-1 HIRT 33 SOPS50 HCSOPS10