At approximately 1600 on April 30, a tractor trailer fully loaded with quarts of new motor oil ran off US Highway 431 about 15 miles south of Huntsville, AL, in Owens Cross Roads. The truck ran off into the center median just as the highway crosses an unnamed tributary of the Flint River. The Flint River about 0.5 miles away. The Flint River is a direct tributary to the Tennessee River, about 15 river miles downstream. Despite recent rains, there is little flow in the tributary, though there is standing water. The truck slid between the two bridge spans, down the embankment, and nosed into the sand at the bottom, flipping the cargo trailer up into the air and over the cab. The cargo was flung out of the trailer, covering most of the area under the bridge spans with a layer of quart bottles and boxes. The driver was killed in the incident. The vehicle caught fire, burning both the on-board fuel and much of the cargo. Fire fighters allowed the fire to mostly burn out before applying foam. A natural pond in the area below these two spans is holding most of the oil. Boom was placed at the outfalls at both end of the pond by the responding fire department. Due to approaching darkness the FD was unable to determine how far along this unnamed tributary the oil migrated and if any entered the Flint River. ADEM responded and made the necessary notifications. Because the driver was killed and the truck was burned beyond identification, the Responsible Party was not immediately identified. EPA Telephone Duty issued a PRFA to allow ADEM to initiate response activities. OSC Berry was also dispatched in case there were impacts downstream. OSC Berry arrived at 0200 and met with ADEM. The wrecker service was in the process of removing the last of the vehicle parts from the bridge spans. ADEM used the PRFA to contract with SWS, which was on site with 2 vac trucks and a roll off. An assessment of downstream impacts will be made after daylight.
