GAYLORD -- Traffic should be back to normal today since state road crews finished emergency repairs to M-32 west of Gaylord after a fuel tanker crashed and spilled about 1,500 gallons of diesel and gasoline.
A 100-foot section of the highway was replaced this week after a fuel truck rolled onto its side early Sunday and leaked chemicals. Hazardous materials responders contained the diesel and gasoline, but the road was damaged by the fuel, said Theresa Brockway, maintenance coordinator with the Michigan Department of Transportation.
Chemical cleanup was finished Monday night and road repair was expected to be done by Tuesday evening, she said.
About 1,500 gallons of diesel and gasoline spilled onto the roadway, causing a number of nearby homes to be evacuated, officials said.
The fuel truck was driven by Patric Bott of Ithaca, who works for Great Lakes Petroleum Transportation in Alma. He apparently tried to turn onto M-32 East from Alba Highway, but failed to handle the curve and overturned, according to police reports.
Bott was not seriously injured.
There are not yet any cost estimates for the emergency highway work, Brockway said.
Great Lakes Petroleum Transportation is paying for the cleanup and repair work, said Vincent Held Sr., the company's executive vice-president of transportation.
Held called the spill an unfortunate accident.
"We are a company that takes our responsibility in these things very seriously, both to the public and the environment," Held said.
About 4,000 cubic yards of soil was excavated from the spill site and stockpiled nearby. Test results will determine what type of a landfill can accept the material, said Dave Lindsay, geologist with the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality.
Additional tests at the spill site also will determine whether any future remediation work is required, Lindsay said.
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