The Fayette Citizen-News Page
Friday, June 18, 1999
Wreck, propane spill snarl traffic

A rush-hour accident during rainy weather Wednesday afternoon caused a traffic nightmare on Ga. Highway 85.

According to reports, a large 85 International truck from Griffin Industries was going northbound on Hwy. 85 shortly before 5:30 p.m. picking up used grease and cooking oil from local restaurants.

A Mercury Villager van turning from Carnegie Lane, across from Ga. Highway 279, pulled out in front of the truck and caused it to turn over.

The 25,000 pounds of oil did not leak, but about 60 gallons of propane did, as the truck landed on its side on top of the propane tank's valve.

Officials from the Fayette County Department of Fire and Emergency Services and the Fayette County Sheriff's Department ordered Hwy. 85 closed in both directions, rerouting traffic onto Hwy. 279 and Kenwood Road while a second truck from Griffin Industries arrived to pump the oil out of the first one, which lay just north of the Hwy. 279 intersection.

A pair of wreckers came to upright the truck, and the entire site was finally cleaned up around midnight. There was no need to evacuate the area, but FCDFES officials monitored the propane leak the entire time.

The driver of the van was taken to Southern Regional Medical Center, where she was treated and released. The driver and passenger of the truck refused treatment at the scene.

There were no citations given at the scene, and the accident is still under investigation, although preliminary reports state that the cause of the wreck was the van's failure to yield the right-of-way.


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