Diesel fuel blamed for 8-mile oil slick on roads in three Franklin County townships

CHAMBERSBURG -- Diesel fuel suspected of leaking from a pickup truck on Thursday evening slicked up 8 miles of back roads in Guilford, Hamilton and St. Thomas townships.

Vehicles slid around on Social Island Road, and emergency personnel closed the road for a period between 6 and 8:30 p.m. Thursday. The spill was discovered after a rain storm.

A tank in the back of a pickup truck apparently fell over and spilled an estimated 140 gallons of off-road diesel fuel, according to Franklin Emergency Services Director John Thierwechter.

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Two trucks from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation spread sand on several roads, according to Franklin County PennDOT manager Bobby Bingaman.

Bingaman said the spill started on Social Island Road at U.S. 11, crossed Pa. 995, continued on Jack Road and crossed U.S. 30 onto St. Thomas-Edenville Road.

County officials notified the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.

“The spill was contained to the roadway and cleaned up by local responders with assistance from PennDOT,” DEP spokesman John Repetz said. “No impact to waterways was reported.”

First responders installed booms along the roads to make sure fuel did not get into streams, Theirwechter said.

Marion Volunteer Fire Company responded to the 5:52 call. The county Department of Emergency Services was notified at 6:11 p.m.

Jim Hook,  717-262-4759