A brake failure caused a fuel oil delivery truck to ‘barrel’ down the driveway of a South Richmond home and crash into a ditch ton Thursday, leading to the leakage of a small amount of No. 2 fuel oil. No injuries were reported.
Richmond fire Lt. Robbie Hagaman said a minuet amount of fuel dripped about 15 feet from the truck into the ditch before it was suppressed. The site of the leak is several hundred yards from the famous Virginian James River, but Hagaman said the leak was contained and that there was no threat of any further contamination.
The truck, which carried 1,800 gallons of No. 2 fuel oil when full, had already made at least one delivery that morning, was parked on a driveway right before the incident occurred. The driver had left the cabin of the truck and before he knew it, the mobile behemoth was rolling backwards and ended up in a ditch.
The driver and emergency crews used a dam and absorbent pads to contain and clean up the leaking fuel, and a second delivery truck was brought in so the fuel could be transferred from the damaged truck.