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OR 22 remains closed between Idanha and junction with US 20 after fuel spill


OR Hwy 22 remains closed between Idanha and the junction with U.S. 20 (milepost 53-81) following a tanker truck crash that caused a fuel spill on Sunday, ODOT reports. (Oregon State Police photo)
OR Hwy 22 remains closed between Idanha and the junction with U.S. 20 (milepost 53-81) following a tanker truck crash that caused a fuel spill on Sunday, ODOT reports. (Oregon State Police photo)
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UPDATE (Feb. 17, 2020, 11:25 a.m.): OR Hwy 22 will be closed to thru traffic from just west of Idanha to the junction with U.S. 20 (milepost 53-81) until Friday or Saturday of this week, ODOT says.

Monday morning, ODOT was able to assess the damage and determined that it will take several days to remove contaminated soil and repair the road where a double tanker crashed Sunday morning spilling thousands of gallons of fuel.

An area of roadway about 600 feet long needs to be completely excavated and rebuilt.

ODOT is working at the site along with the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), hazmat specialists Northwest Firefighters and a construction contractor working for ODOT.

Motorists traveling to and from the Willamette Valley and Central Oregon can use U.S. 20 and OR 126E as alternative routes.

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UPDATE (Feb. 17, 2020, 6:45 a.m.): OR 22 remains closed between Idanha and the junction with U.S. 20 (milepost 53-81) following a tanker truck crash that caused a fuel spill on Sunday, ODOT reports.

The road will be closed to thru traffic indefinitely for the clean-up of the fuel spill and recovery of the tanker.

US 20 and OR 126E are the alternative routes for most traffic traveling between the Willamette Valley and Central Oregon.

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SANTIAM JUNCTION, Ore. — A crash on Oregon Highway 22 has created a significant delay on Sunday, as a semi-truck that was hauling double tankers spilled fuel and caused a massive cleanup effort.

The truck was carrying more than 10,000 gallons of fuel, spilling more than half of its load in the accident, according to Oregon.Gov. An unknown amount of the fuel was released into the North Santiam River, which provides drinking water for nearby communities and the city of Salem.

A hazardous materials team and emergency cleanup crew from Oregon Department of Environmental Quality were on the scene to pump remaining fuel out of the truck and to prevent more fuel from entering the river. The highway remains closed in both directions at milepost 68 as crews work to contain the site. The Oregon Department of Transportation advises motorists to avoid the area and find alternate routes until further notice.

According to reports the truck, owned by Space Age Fuel, was carrying a variety of fuels in two tanks. The primary tank held 6,500 gallons of gasoline and the trailer tank held 4,100 gallons of diesel. Preliminary indications are that all 6,500 gallons of the gasoline were spilled, it is unclear how much, if any, diesel was spilled.

According to the Oregon Department of Transportation, OR 22 will remain closed at least throughout Sunday evening, about eight miles east of Idanha where the crash took place. It will remain closed indefinitely, and travelers should avoid the area.

DEVELOPING STORY | Will be updated as more information is made available.

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