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Drains flushed following gas spill

East Liverpool firefighters responded Monday morning to a spill on Jefferson Street near Fifth Street, where a gas tank fell from a pickup truck. The gasoline managed to enter the storm sewer and was flushed out by firefighters, who responded with engines and the hazmat unit. (Photo by Jo Ann Bobby-Gilbert)

EAST LIVERPOOL — City firefighters responded quickly Monday morning with the hazmat unit to reports of gasoline flowing from a gas tank onto Jefferson Street, with between 12 and 15 gallons managing to leak out into the street and into the storm drain system.

According to assistant Chief Jason Glista, the straps which held the gas tank onto a 1999 Ford F-150 truck driven by Doug Manley of Grimm’s Bridge Road must have rotted, allowing the tank to fall off on Jefferson Street near Fifth Street where he had parked while going into a doctor’s office.

Someone saw the gas flowing into the street and notified officials, prompting the alarm to go out at about 11:33 a.m. and bringing out a third alarm to clean up the mess.

The storm sewer had to be flushed with water, and firefighters had to use brooms to sweep up leaves soaked with gasoline since the street sweeper cannot be used in these cold temperatures, since the water freezes.

Oil dry and absorbent pads were also used to soak up the gasoline, according to Glista.

The gasoline had to be flushed from the storm drains to avoid an explosion hazard, Glista emphasized.

He said Manley had driven past Central Fire Station about 10 minutes prior to the call, noting, “We heard it plain as day,” and said Manley thought the noise was coming from his exhaust system.

Manley’s insurance company will be billed for the expense of the hazmat cleanup, Glista reported.

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