Tractor Trailer Jackknifes on I-95 in New Rochelle Sending 100-200 Gallons of Fuel into Long Island Sound, 1 Injured

NEW ROCHELLE, NY — A FedEx tractor trailer jackknifed on I-95 Southbound in New Rochelle early Saturday morning, colliding with a passenger vehicle and dumping between 100 and 200 gallons of diesel fuel onto the roadway and into storm drains after its saddle tanks ruptured, according to New Rochelle Fire Chief Andrew Sandor.

The diesel fuel made its way to Long Island Sound where NRFD set up booms to trap the oil. See below for full update on the oil spill with video and photos.

The incident occurred on the New England Thruway between the Center Avenue Bridge and Crescent Avenue, behind the Bread Factory on Grove Avenue.

All Southbound lanes were blocked with traffic at a standstill for over an hour. Vehicles were backed up for miles. A heavy smell of diesel permeated the area.

New Rochelle Fire Fighters and New York State Police responded to the major accident scene after a call shortly before 6:30 am.

A passenger in the car, a black four-door BMW sedan, was injured and taken by ambulance to an area hospital, said Sandor.

A tandem FedEx tractor trailer truck that had stopped to assist the jackknifed Fedex tractor trailer had already left the scene by the time this reporter arrived.

UPDATE: 7:38 AM: The right lane has re-opened. Expect delays and consider alternate routes., traffic moving slowly, oil still making road surface slippery. Sand truck operating. Firefighters still on scene.

UPDATE: 8:45 AM: All lanes open.

OIL SPILL UPDATE 9:45 AM: The New Rochelle Fire Department located the storm drain outlet where diesel fuel from the crash on I-95 emptied into a channel leading out to Long Island Sound. NRFD set up booms at the outlet near Evans Street and Sutton Manor, about three-quarters of a mile from the crash scene. The U.S. Coast Guard was summoned by NRFD. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation was notified.

Talk of the Sound transcript of interview of New Rochelle Fire Chief Andrew Sandor follows:

Interview Transcript

TOTS: Tell me about the truck crash.

SANDOR: We got toned out this morning about 6:30 for a tractor trailer that had jackknifed on 95, got involved with one other passenger vehicle. The person in the passenger vehicle did get injured and they were transported by ambulance. The truck driver was not injured. Another truck driver had actually stopped to help him, a tandem FedEx truck, and was not involved in the accident, however, because of all the fuel spill from the saddle tanks from the first truck…he couldn’t go anywhere because the surface was slick and so we had to put down SafeStep, like kitty litter to help him get traction and get out there.

TOTS: And no injuries for your guys or state police?

SANDOR: No injuries for fire or state police or anybody. No.

TOTS: And then the fuel got into the storm drain, and then it makes its way to the Sound?

SANDOR: Yeah, this has happened to us before where we have incidents on 95, that’s how we knew to come to…first…we checked because it was further along on 95 we thought it might come out by Pelham Road, it usually comes out by 666 Pelham Road, there’s a low spot right there where it goes out behind Glen Island over there and also check here because this has happened before and sure enough, it was coming out down here at Evans Street.

TOTS: Any idea how much you’re talking with those tanks?

SANDOR: Those tanks are usually about one to two hundred gallons of diesel.

TOTS: And then what do you have set up here? What are you trying to accomplish here?

SANDOR: Well, we have set up here as a boom system and what it does because the oil is lighter than water, it stays up on top of the water you can put the booms on top and it’ll contain the oil to a degree and we do have the Coast Guard was summoned and they should be responding.

TOTS: They’re going to bring the boats out here on the…

SANDOR: Yeah, well, I would reckon they’d have some kind of response out here. They have been notified. We did notify DEP, DEC as per protocol.

TOTS: For folks who don’t know the area so this little inlet or outlet here actually goes all the way out to Long Island Sound.

SANDOR: Yes, it does. There’s a storm drain that comes from all over New Rochelle including from 95, the water washes out into Long Island Sound. This is off Main Street in New Rochelle where we are right now, by the intersection of Echo Avenue and Main by Taco Bell and the housing projects by 365 Main. And behind us is Sutton Manor Road as you go along. Pelham, the start of Pelham Road right here. That’s where we’re at.

TOTS: Okay, good. Thank you very much.

EDITOR’S NOTE: This story has been updated. The original report from BNN (Breaking News Network, a wire service for scanner radio traffic) was of a major accident involving two tractor trailers and a car. Based on being on scene and our interview (above) with New Rochelle Fire Chief Andrew Sandor, the story was corrected to say the incident involved one tractor trailer and a car. The second tractor trailer stopped to assist, got stuck in the oil on the roadway and was assisted in leaving the scene. BNN posted an alert at 7:22 am but Sandor said about 6:30 am and 511NY.com sent an alert at 6:21 am.

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