Firefighters give an update on an overturned oil tanker

Brunswick County, NC (WWAY) — Part of Highway 133 was shut down due to an overturned oil tanker on Friday, January 30th, after the tanker reached high speeds and overturned due to its weight.

In a Facebook post, The Wilmington Fire Department said the tanker took significant damage from the crash and created a high-risk hazardous materials environment.

HazMat crews worked closely with Brunswick County Emergency Management and Southport Fire to develop and execute a safe, effective mitigation plan.

WFD HazMat RRT2 members successfully drilled into five individual fuel tanks to establish controlled access points for fuel removal.

More than 1,000 gallons of remaining fuel product were safely offloaded into a second fuel tanker.

HazMat personnel coordinated with Phillips Towing to recover the tanker and lift it upright.