A traffic accident which resulted in a diesel fuel spill Thursday shut down Smackover Highway, also known as Highway 7, for most of the afternoon and evening.
Around 3 p.m. Thursday, an auto collision involving a diesel fuel transport truck and another vehicle resulted in the highway’s closure as state and local officials worked to clean the spill. The Union County Office of Emergency Management, the Union County Sheriff’s Office and Arkansas State Police responded to the incident.
Nate Olson, public information officer for the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality, said the ADEQ is continuing to monitor the situation. He said it’s been reported to the ADEQ by the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management that about 50 gallons of diesel spilled. Officials with the Union County Office of Emergency Management could not be reached by press time Friday.
An Arkansas state police officer said the police report for the accident had not yet been filed. No officers present at the scene from the UCSO were available Friday for comment. The state police officer and Chief Deputy Charlie Phillips of the UCSO said more information would become available by Monday.
Thursday’s accident marks the third chemical spill in as many weeks in Union County. The first was a diesel fuel spill that occurred in the parking lot of the Murphy USA fueling station at North West Avenue and Walmart Drive on Nov. 30. A second chemical spill was caused by an 18-wheeler overturning, resulting in sulfuric acid spilling along the southbound lane of Highway 167 between the Champagnolle and Main Street exits last weekend. Two of the three spills occurred in wet weather, with the fueling station spill being followed by heavy rainfall. When asked about environment impacts, Olson did not comment.
Caitlan Butler can be reached at 870-862-6611 or [email protected].