Tank trucks collide in Fort,
narrowly miss hitting homes
Staff photo/Kathy McCarty
CLOSE CALL — A tractor-trailer truck hauling a load of gray water from a processing plant and an oil delivery truck collided at the intersection of Columbia and Presque Isle streets on Monday. Both trucks came to rest parallel to one another on a lawn, not far from two homes in a residential section of Fort Fairfield. Pictured are emergency personnel working at the scene, including one who is removing a portion of fiberglass from the delivery truck from underneath the tanker.
FORT FAIRFIELD — Driver inattention is being blamed for a lunchtime collision between two tank trucks Monday at the intersection of Columbia and Presque Isle streets.
The accident occurred around 12:45 p.m., causing traffic to be reduced to one lane while emergency personnel investigated.
“An oil truck operated by Robert Leblanc II, 44, of Woodland, and owned by Hometown Fuels of Limestone, was heading west on Columbia. The tractor tanker driven by Daniel Toner, 59, owned by Hillspring Farms Ltd. Of Beechwood, N.B., was heading north on Presque Isle Street. From all indications and what witnesses said, the oil truck didn’t stop at the stop sign and went into the street in front of the tanker,” said Chief Bill Campbell, Fort Fairfield Police Department.
A BUS travels behind two trucks that collided
at the intersection of Columbia and Presque Isle streets in Fort Fairfield on Monday. The lunchtime accident between an oil delivery truck and a tanker truck hauling a waste water occurred in a residential area, not far from the community’s two schools. Both vehicles sustained extensive front-end damage but only minor injuries were reported to the occupants. Campbell said there wasn’t anything Toner could do to avoid the collision.
“He tried but could not prevent colliding with the delivery truck,” said Campbell.
The impact caused the oil truck to spin around, landing parallel to the tanker on a nearby lawn.
“The oil truck ended up on the same property as the tanker. The force of the impact spun the oil truck around and pushed it onto the lawn. The tractor-trailer unit steering mechanism broke, making it impossible for Toner to control where the truck went. It hit a tree, stopping short of a driveway and nearby house,” said Campbell. “Fortunately Toner wasn’t going fast and that helped.”
Both vehicles sustained extensive front-end damage, estimated in the thousands. Nobles of Caribou was contacted to tow one of the trucks, with a second unidentified towing company removing the other.
“Leblanc was transported by Crown Ambulance to The Aroostook Medical Center, where he was treated and released; he later returned to the scene. Toner and his passenger sustained minor injuries and didn’t need treatment,” said Campbell.
Also assisting the FFPD at the scene were the Department of Environmental Protection, Fort Fairfield Fire Department, Maine State Police, U.S. Border Patrol and the Fort Fairfield Water District.
“The Water District pumped off water from the tanker. Toner was hauling a tanker of gray water from a processing plant. DEP cleaned up a small amount of diesel fuel, as a result of a ruptured fuel line. The remainder of the truck’s diesel was pumped off,” said Campbell, noting cleanup took roughly five hours to complete.
Campbell said the accident could have been a lot worse but is thankful for the outcome.
“The accident took place in a residential area, not far from our schools. It could have been much worse. We were lucky,” said Campbell.
Campbell said the accident is still under investigation. The chief reminds motorists of the importance of obeying traffic signs and lights.
