This week, we wrote about a Lynchburg trucking company who was fined over $40,000 by the Department of Environmental Quality after a Virginia truck accident spilled 7,000 gallons of fuel into the soil and water of Bedford County. The accident, which resulted in the death of the trucker, required four months of cleanup and the evacuation of dozens of nearby residents.
Truck accidents and fuel spills
Unfortunately, commercial truck accidents involving fuel spills are not rare. Unlike smaller vehicles that don’t carry much more than 16 gallons of gasoline, the average 18-wheeler has a tank filled with about 100 gallons of diesel fuel. In addition, tanker trucks carrying other types of fuel, including gas and petroleum, could have thousands of gallons of hazardous materials on board.
Two hazards of tanker trucks: explosions and a harmed environment
When a tanker truck crashes, or when a commercial big rig suffers an erupted fuel tank, there are two big concerns: that the fuel will ignite or that the fuel will seep into nearby soil or streams.
What are the chances of an explosion after a tanker truck crash? Luckily, diesel fuel is not as flammable as gasoline, and a traffic accident is less likely to result in an explosion and fire because of the higher flash point of diesel. However, these truck fires and explosions still do happen. In addition, tanker trucks that are carrying gasoline or other flammable energy sources are likely to catch fire or explode if ruptured in a collision or crash.
Even if the fuel does not ignite or explode, a large fuel spill is a danger. As in the case described above, fuel is a hazardous material that can have a long-lasting impact on the environment and real consequences for residents in the area who drink from the water supply or farm. A trucking company may well be responsible for the effect of fuel spills caused by truck accidents.
Virginia beach truck accident attorneys
If you have been injured or affected by a truck accident involving a fuel truck or a commercial truck with a ruptured fuel tank, talk to our Virginia personal injury attorneys today about your case. Call (833) 997-1774 today.