Oil truck crash closes Greenwood Lake Turnpike

Greenwood Lake Turnpike Road was closed Friday between Marshall Hill Road and Lincoln Avenue after an accident involving an oil truck that morning.

According to West Milford police, the oil truck went up an embankment and clipped a utility poll, spilling home heating oil onto Greenwood Lake Turnpike. The truck’s engine also caught fire as a result of being overturned.

The truck was hauling approximately 2,200 gallons of home heating oil. The tank had ruptured leaking oil and had also ignited on fire. The driver had self extricated with minor injuries.

Two hose lines were deployed in an attempt to extinguish the burning truck while waiting for foam trucks to arrive on scene. An immediate request was made for the UASI Foam Task Force bring in foam trucks from Passaic, Riverdale, and Parsippany, along with a decon unit from the Clifton Fire Department. West Milford Fire Companies 1,2,4 were requested for additional manpower and water, along with Ringwood Fire Department to the scene. Mutual aid from surrounding towns also responded to cover the firehouses. The fire was extinguished and a foam blanket was put down to suppress the vapors.

Prior to the Haz-Mat teams arrival on scene units deployed a large amount of containment boom, absorbent pads, and speedy dry to contain the spill and active leak. The NJDEP arrived and requested a clean up contractor to respond to off load the remaining oil and begin clean up of the scene. The off loading operation was completed and the the truck was able to be uprighted and removed from the scene. The truck was removed at approximately 830 p.m..

Once removed, an extensive clean up continued and Orange and Rockland Electric arrived to replace the telephone pole that was struck in the accident. The roadway was reopened at 12:30 a.m. on Oct. 8, 2022.