FARMINGTON, W.Va. — An environmental remediation contractor began working early Friday morning to clean up an area in Marion County after a tanker truck wrecked, spilling an estimated 3,000 gallons of hydrochloric acid.
At 3:05 a.m., Marion County 911 received a call indicating a truck ran off Jamison Road in Farmington while navigating a sharp turn and tipped over.
Out of a total 6,000 gallons of hydrochloric acid contained in the truck, it is estimated at this time that approximately half was released. However, official numbers will not be available until the remaining substance is siphoned into another truck, according to state DEP Spokesperson Jake Glance.
While no water supplies were contaminated, workers with Pennsylvania-based SPSI, Inc. worked to excavate between four and five inches of dirt around the spill area. The crews were working to beat threatening showers, but dug a trench to catch runoff downhill just in case.
Eight homes along Jamison Road were evacuated with help from the Red Cross while the chemical was being extracted as a precaution, according to the Marion County Sheriff’s Department.
The driver of the truck was transported to Fairmont Regional Medical Center where he was treated and released for minor injuries.
With the crew from SPSI on scene was the state DEP’s Homeland Security and Emergency team, the Marion County OEMS, the Marion County Sheriff’s Department and Rescue Squad and the Farmington, Mannington, Fairview and Barrackville Fire Departments.
Jamison Road remains closed during remediation and while crews work to remove the wrecked tanker.