Fuel Tanker Catches Fire On Rt. 79 In Marlboro Twp.

MARLBORO, NJ — A fuel tanker caught fire Tuesday afternoon after it was involved in a three-car crash on Rt. 79 in Marlboro Twp. The intersection of Rt. 79 and Old Mill Road is still closed as of 3:20 p.m. Tuesday, police told Patch.

The initial accident happened at about 12:15 p.m. today: The fuel tanker was actually illegally parked on the side of Rt. 79 when the accident happened. A flatbed truck that was towing two cars on it rear-ended a blue Hyundai traveling north on 79. The Hyundai then crossed over and hit a southbound Range Rover.

The flatbed truck then hit a utility pole, and the force of the impact brought the pole down, said Capt. Fred Reck of the Marlboro police department. The high-power line came down on top of the parked tanker.

None of the fuel caught fire, but the tanker's tires caught fire from the electric current and ignited. They melted entirely, he said. Volunteer firefighters were called to the scene, and the tanker, which now has no wheels, has to be towed.

"The tanker was actually full of oil when this happened, which actually was a good thing. Fumes are more flammable than the actual fuel itself, so that's why only the tires caught fire," he said.

"Nobody was transferred to the hospital," he added. "We've got a big mess but nobody was seriously injured."