Overturned Fuel Tanker Causes Shut-Down Of Gandy Bridge

TAMPA, FL ? Tampa police were forced to shut down the Gandy Bridge from Pinellas County to Hillsborough County along with the Selmon Expressway from the Gandy Bridge connector to downtown Tampa after a fuel tanker overturned at Westshore Boulevard and Gandy Boulevard Tuesday.

Cleanup and repairs at Gandy Boulevard and Westshore Boulevard continued throughout the night.

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Westbound Gandy Boulevard is now open from Manhattan Avenue to Westshore Boulevard but the road remains closed westbound from Westshore Boulevard.

There is no access to the Gandy Bridge from the lower Gandy Boulevard westbound lanes but access remains open for the elevated lanes.

It is unclear at this time when roadway repairs will be completed. The Florida Department of Transportation will begin milling and resurfacing Gandy Boulevard from Westshore Boulevard to Bridge Street.

The asphalt absorbed the aviation fuel and weakened and deteriorated the roadway. FDOT is hoping to get all operations complete by late Wednesday night and have all lanes opened by Thursday morning.

At 11:52 Tuesday, Tampa Fire Rescue responded to an overturned tanker with a hazardous material inside it.

Fire rescue crews found liquid was leaking from the trailer and a full hazardous materials response was called. The placard on the truck identified the chemical as aviation fuel. The truck was carrying about 8,000 gallons of fuel.

Out of an abundance of caution, fire rescue evacuated the nearby Circle K, and asked businesses on the southwest, southeast and northeast corners of West Gandy and Westshore boulevards to shelter in place.

All traffic was halted between Manhattan Avenue to Bridge Street as cars were rerouted.

The Selmon Expressway Extension was also closed due to its proximity to the scene.

Tampa fire personnel began mitigating the spill by creating a dam from soil in the median to keep the fuel from entering the sewer system and waterways.

Crews also sprayed a blanket of foam over the fuel to avoid any sparks or the possibility of ignition.

The tanker leak stopped at 4 p.m and 1,200 gallons of fuel was recovered.

Cliff Barry Environmental Services was called to clean up the spill and Stepps Towing righted and towed the tanker.