Fredericktown, Ohio-While emergency responders took precautions April 20, the owners of a tanker truck that slid off the road and overturned, transloaded more than 41,000 pounds of anhydrous ammonia to another tanker without losing a drop. Some 300 residents were evacuated from 200 nearby homes after the driver lost control and the truck ended up on its side. Officials at McIlvaine Trucking wouldn’t talk about it, but they brought in a pumper truck and another tanker to make the transfer. Knox County EMA Brian Hess called McIlvaine’s quick action, along with efforts by the Mt. Vernon and Fredericktown fire departments, a smooth operation. He said the tanker was pretty full and heading through town when the driver hit a soft shoulder and over-corrected. Ohio 13 and the Ohio 95 bypass were closed temporarily, and a computer-assisted emergency management system was used to develop a worst-case scenario. Residents spent about five hours away from home, some of them in two Red Cross shelters. They were allowed to return home around 11:30 p.m. The tanker driver was treated for minor injuries at the Knox Community Hospital and may face charges of failure to control the vehicle.
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