Truck collision causes effluent spill
Metro SAPS was on scene and will be investigating the accident.
A TRUCK carrying oil collided with a another truck, causing it to spill its load at the intersection of Otto Volek and Franz Volek Road earlier this morning (Friday, 26 February).
According to Mark Minnie of Metal Magic, the collision and spillage happened just outside his company entrance.
“The truck carrying the oil was travelling to Dilex Oil, an oil recycling company situated on Franz Volek Road. The truck was travelling in the right lane and wanted to take a wide left turn into Franz Volek Road because of the size of the tank. Another truck from Brick City was travelling in the left lane and sideswept the tanker, causing it to tip slightly. The rear hatch of the tanker could not lock and the oil started pouring out of the tank and spilling onto Otto Volek Road,” said Minnie.
Minnie alerted his neighbourhood watch, who contacted the relevant authorities. Emergency services responded immediately and the Fire Department began to clean up the spillage. Fireman used sand from a verge to cover the spillage and the remainder of the flow of oil was swept into the storm-water drain.
Jan Cock, one of the owners of Dilex, confirmed the incident and said the spillage amounted to approximately 20 litres of water and oil mixed.
He referred the Highway Mail to Garner Dennie of Northern Ocean Marine, who confirmed the truck was carrying effluent water from a process plant in Richards Bay. Northern Ocean Marine deals with sludge removal, waste oil collection, tank cleaning and de-bunkering of shipping vessels.
Dennie declared that the load the truck was carrying was not hazardous.
Metro SAPS was on scene and will be investigating the accident.
