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AP
PADUCAH TANKER FIRE: A firefighter arrives on the scene where a tanker trunk had overturned and exploded at the edge of downtown Paducah Wednesday evening. The driver was injured but able to escape the crash. Power was lost in some downtown neighborhoods after the fire burned through power lines. See story on page 3A. |
Officials still cleaning up tanker
PADUCAH, Ky. (AP) - Officials said they hoped to reopen a western Kentucky road late today afternoon after a tanker loaded with 10,500 gallons of fuel turned over and exploded the night before injuring the driver.
Crews were still out clearing the site in downtown Paducah and evaluating the damage to the road, officials said.
Joseph Gilbert, 30, crawled out of the truck cab and was taken to Western Baptist Hospital in Paducah, then flown to Vanderbilt Medical Center in Nashville, Tenn. Today, Gilbert was in critical condition in the hospital's burn unit.
Part of the Lowertown neighborhood was cleared out, with streets blocked, after gasoline and diesel fuel managed to leak in the storm sewer system, The Paducah Sun reported.
Paducah police said Gilbert had just left Mid West Terminal when the load shifted as he rounded a curve, causing the truck to turn onto its side.
The Coast Guard was called as crews worked to drain the fuel, which was leaking into the Ohio River, from the storm sewer system. Workers from the state Environmental Protection Agency, city engineers and Mid West Terminal were at the scene.
A nearby nursing home was evacuated as a precaution, police said.
The highway department said Interstate 24 Downtown Business Loop/U.S. 60 would probably remain closed to traffic until late Thursday afternoon or evening, but it could be closed longer to make repairs.
Story created Jun 22, 2006 - 15:20:29 EDT.
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