Last week, (10/22), a fuel tanker truck struck a cow, lost control, and hit a power pole near Scottsburg. KLCC’s Brian Bull has an update.
The animal and driver – 59-year-old Charles Stephens of Eugene – both died. A section of Highway 38 near Milepost 21 was temporarily closed after an unknown amount of fuel spilled from the wreckage.
Jennifer Flynnt of the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) says power is down for some homes due to crews replacing the power pole. The crews are working on a temporary road and it’s hoped that any resultant contamination can be removed.
DEQ crews have seen low-level diesel and gasoline contamination in groundwater from monitoring wells they installed in a pasture south of the highway. Flynnt adds no gas or diesel have been found in surface water samples, but there is a visible sheen in the nearby Umpqua River.
Booms are in place as a precaution. Further excavation work will begin Tuesday under the highway.
Copyright 2018, KLCC.
