IDANHA, Ore. — A 30-mile stretch of Highway 22 will be closed until at least Friday evening after a semi hauling double tankers with fuel overturned Sunday morning.
The truck was carrying 6,500 gallons of gasoline and 4,100 gallons of diesel, according to the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality. About 7,800 gallons of fuel and diesel spilled along the North Santiam River.
The river supplies drinking water to Salem and other communities. The Department of Environmental Quality told KGW on Sunday night that any contamination will dissipate before it reaches Salem or any community.
The crash happened about 10 miles east of Detroit and the highway is closed between the town of Idanha and the highway’s junction with U.S. 20.
So far, cleanup crews have recovered about 2,800 gallons of fuel and excavators have dug up about 737 cubic yards, nearly 150,000 gallons, of contaminated soil. Trucks are hauling the soil to a landfill in Eugene.
It's unclear what caused the crash. The driver of the semi was taken to the hospital with minor injuries.
The tanker is owned by Space Age Fuel.
U.S. 20 and OR 126E are the alternative routes for most traffic traveling between the Willamette Valley and Central Oregon, transportation officials said.
