The City of Fairburn Police

Department and Fire Department were commended Monday night at the City

Council's regular meeting for their handling of a fuel spill. The

accident happened around 4 a.m. at the intersection of Ga. Highway 74

and Oakley Industrial Boulevard Feb. 5.

The driver of the 9,000 gallon

diesel tanker and two witnesses stated that a small red truck ran the

red light. In an attempt to avoid the truck the Greene Oil Company tanker

turned over and landed on its side spilling approximately 3,500 gallons

of diesel fuel. The spill entered two storm drains and a creek on property

adjoining the Greene Oil Truck Stop.

Fire Station 21 dispatched

two trucks to the scene just before 5 a.m.

Captain Joey Highnote assumed

the command of the situation requesting Fairburn Police to divert the

early morning traffic. The EPA and the EPD were notified. Batallion One

Chief Joey Daniels arrived around 5:10 a.m. and took command of the sight.

MVIC, Inc., an environmental

cleanup company, arrived about one hour after being called to start the

cleanup process. Containment dams were setup downstream of the spill with

the assistance of the Peachtree HazMat Team.

According to a memo from Fire

Marshall Walt Brown, approximately 4,000 gallons of water from fire hydrants

were used to push the fuel to the dams where it was skimmed using vacuum

trucks. Brown stated that even though an unfortunate accident happened,

it could have been much worse and commended his staff for the professional

way it was handled.