Acton Fire Department Responds to Fuel Spill on Route 2

ACTON — Fire Chief Anita Arnum reports that the Acton Fire Department responded to a fuel spill on Route 2 on Tuesday.

On Tuesday, May 24, at approximately 12:38 p.m., the Acton Fire Department was called to the area of Main Street and the Route 2 southbound offramp for a report of a fuel spill from a truck.

Companies arrived to discover that a box truck that was traveling eastbound on Route 2 hit tire debris, which severed a line to one of the truck’s saddle fuel tanks, causing it to leak diesel fuel. The driver noticed immediately, pulled off the highway and stopped. Approximately 50 gallons of diesel fuel is estimated to have spilled on Route 2 and Main Street.

The Acton Fire Department responded with two command vehicles and two engines, and a hazardous materials trailer stocked with supplies to mitigate the spill.

The leak was stopped at the truck’s tank and absorbent clay granules were  dispersed to absorb spilled diesel fuel. 

The Department of Environmental Protection responded, and the state Department of Transportation was notified to sand approximately 2 miles of Route 2 eastbound to help absorb spilled diesel fuel. The Acton Highway Department also responded with a sander to assist with removing the absorbed diesel fuel.

Acton Police assisted with traffic control and determining the extent of the spill on Route 2.  

“All Acton Fire personnel are trained on Hazmat Operational Level Responders, and we are fortunate to have a hazardous materials supplies and equipment to assist us,” said Chief Arnum. “This was a great example of collaboration by Acton Fire, Police, Highway, and our state partners to mitigate a potentially serious incident.”