18-wheeler leaked hundreds of gallons of gas in Columbus County

COLUMBUS COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — An overturned 18-wheeler in Columbus County was leaking gasoline early this morning near Clarendon according to Emergency Services.

Deputy Director of Emergency Services David Ransom says the tractor-trailer had been leaking gasoline since about 3:30 a.m. He says the driver of the truck was transport to Loris Hospital. His condition is unknown at this time. Ransom says the driver told crews a deer ran into the road which caused the accident, but officials are still investigating.

Ransom says there were two punctures in the truck, the width of a pencil, which allowed a few hundred gallons of gas to be leaked. He says the 18-wheeler holds a total of 8,800 gallons of fuel.

Emergency Services Director Kay Worley says a rapid response hazmat team from Wilmington assisted in the accident on Highway 410.

Highway 410 South at Williams and Cribbtown Roads was closed most of the day.

“There (are) only three houses immediate to the area, so those were the only ones we had to evacuate,” Ransom said. “One thing we have had to deal with is the school buses. They were not able to come through so they had to pick up students then drive back around and get them where they need to be.”

No word yet on if any charges will be filed.