Fuel tanker crash closes Hwy. 41 at Cholame ‘Y’ near SLO County line, snarling traffic
Update 5:30 p.m.:
Highway 41 will remain closed overnight, according to CHP.
Original story:
A commercial fuel tanker truck crashed on Highway 41 near the Cholame “Y” just north of the San Luis Obispo County line Tuesday morning, causing traffic delays into the afternoon as drivers were diverted onto eastbound Highway 46, .
Authorities closed the highway in order to remove the truck and clean up the scene.
As of early Tuesday afternoon, the CHP said the highway could remain closed until the late afternoon commute.
According to the CHP, at about 5:35 a.m., the driver of a semi tractor truck hauling approximately 1,000 gallons of petroleum product was traveling south on Highway 41 within Kern County approaching the San Luis Obispo County line.
At the same time, a big rig hauling soft drinks was traveling northbound, approaching the the southbound truck, the CHP said in a news release.
For reasons still unknown as of early afternoon, one of the trucks crossed over the solid double yellow lines, and the beverage truck impacted the trailer of the petroleum truck, the CHP said.
The petroleum truck continued, out of control, and over the east side of the highway, where it stopped about 100 feet over the side and came to rest on its side, according to the release.
The driver of the beverage truck continued northbound and stopped north of the scene, the CHP said.
Once the collision stabilized, the driver of the petroleum truck was able to crawl back up onto the highway, the CHP said. He reported only minor injuries, the agency said.
Based on the position of the petroleum truck, the CHP said, the vehicle needed to be pumped of its hazardous contents before it could be recovered.
As a result, a hard closure was made from the Highway 41 and Highway 46 “Cholame Y” intersection in Shandon to the intersection with Highway 33.
The Coalinga CHP office is investigating the collision while other area CHP offices assisted with the road closure throughout the day, according to a local agency spokesman.
Representatives of Cal Fire, Caltrans and Kern County Fire Department were also on the scene, according to a Cal Fire tweet at 9:44 a.m.
This story was originally published January 21, 2020 at 8:50 AM.
