Omaha, Neb.-The tank on a rig carrying 4,500 gallons of a liquid mixed starter fertilizer split in two on the freeway at mid-day on Sept. 28, spilling as much as 2,000 gallons and shutting down traffic for more than three hours. There were no collisions and no one was injured as the driver pulled off to the side out of traffic as fertilizer continued to flow from the ruptured tank. But responders reacted swiftly and contained the liquid for fear that it would get into water supplies. “It posed no immediate threat to any of the structures or homes in the area, but it did have a possible threat if it got into the water way,” Battalion Fire Chief Bernie Kanger told the local press. “Our immediate goals were to contain the product, and we did that building an earthen dike around the leak and then down stream.” Westbound freeway traffic resumed after the broken rig was moved, but cleanup efforts were expected to continue into the next day and soil tests will be needed to make sure none of the contamination remains. Dan McCarty with Environmental Solutions, which was hired to finish the cleanup, said the MSDS described the load as a liquid mixed starter fertilizer containing nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and sulfur. The Omaha Dept. of Environmental Quality also was on the scene, but had little to do since most of the spill was under control. “The fire department deserves a lot of credit for quickly diking off the area and containing material in place,” offered DEQ spokesman Brian McManus. “If more time had lapsed, things could have been much worse.” A second trailer was also brought in to transfer the remaining fertilizer. The tanker truck was operating out of Red Oak, Neb., and was on it way to Columbus, Neb., when the incident occurred.
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