Tanker spill sparks environment fears

By Ed Merrison
A TANKER overturned in Pearcedale on Friday night spilling about 30,000 litres of petrol.
Emergency services closed roads and spent more than 14 hours at the site of the spill, which sparked concerns of wider environmental damage. The driver sustained minor injuries in the crash, which occurred at the intersection of Western Port Highway and Baxter-Tooradin Road just before 7pm.
Pearcedale Country Fire Authority (CFA) captain Kevin Sullivan said the driver had been travelling north on Western Port Highway and appeared to be attempting a right-hand turn towards Baxter when his vehicle flipped.
Mr Sullivan said the tanker was leaking severely when his crew was first to arrive on the scene.
The CFA switched off street lighting as a safety precaution and directed traffic away from the area.
“We cordoned it off, prepared a foam blanket and tried to control the spill,” Mr Sullivan said. The Environment Protection Authority (EPA) attended the scene on Saturday and Sunday to assess the environmental impact.
EPA spokesperson Ruth Ward said all petrol not removed by evaporation had been cleaned up and the incident left no ongoing contamination.
“(The spill) left behind some contaminated soil, but that’s all been removed and replaced by fresh earth,” she said.
About 50 CFA personnel from Somerville, Baxter, Langwarrin, Tyabb, Devon Meadows, Bittern and Dandenong attended the spill, with the last volunteers leaving the scene at 9.30am on Saturday morning. Mr Sullivan said it was a rare incident and one he would not like to see happen again.
“It was potentially pretty dangerous,” he said. “We know how volatile petrol can be. If it’s not treated right we won’t be around to talk about it.”