Tanker crash shuts motorway

Fuel spillage causes chaos on AP-7 highway

THE AP-7 motorway had to be closed for 10 hours between Dolores and Almoradí on Saturday after a petrol tanker overturned by Catral, spilling its contents over the road and adjacent farmland.

A 500-metre safety cordon was set up and residents living nearby were advised not to leave their homes as a precaution.

According to Guardia Civil traffic department, the 52-yearold driver was unhurt in the accident, which occurred at about 06.55 when the vehicle veered into the crash barrier.

All traffic heading towards Alicante had to be diverted off the motorway at exit 737 as the truck was blocking the carriageway, while only one of the lanes towards Cartagena remained open with a reduced speed limit to ensure that the emergency services had access. Officers had to redirect hundreds of vehicles that had become stuck due to the accident.

The tanker was loaded with 27,000 litres of diesel and petrol in five tanks, two of which did not leak. The affected lanes were reopened at around 17.00, after an operation was completed involving around 50 fire fighters in two shifts, Guardia Civil, Catral local police and an environmental officer.

At first the fire brigade intended to transfer the remaining fuel to another tanker while the one that had crashed was still on its side, but this proved impossible and they had to wait for two cranes to lift it back upright.

Both carriageways were completely closed during this delicate part of the operation.

Another truck was brought in to take the crashed tanker away and forest fire fighters who had come from their base in Tibi remained to clear up the area.

The Guardia Civil environmental service (Seprona) also came to assess the damage caused by the spillage.

The affected fields next to the motorway were full of artichokes which were almost ready to be harvested.