18-Wheeler Spills 100 Gallons of Diesel onto Hwy. 49

Literally minutes after a pedestrian was struck and killed on Highway 49 in Gulfport Wednesday night, another accident happened about 100 yards away.

According to the Gulfport Fire Department, the fuel tank on an 18-wheeler ruptured and about 100 gallons of diesel fuel spilled out onto the road. Gulfport Fire Department’s hazardous material team responded for cleanup. According to the driver of the 18-wheeler, he had just picked up a load and was heading northbound on Highway 49 when the accident occurred.

Brian Collins, the truck driver, says, “And I think I made it maybe a couple of miles away from the shipper, and had acceleration problems, and I just had that drive shaft repaired like two weeks ago and it’s the same problem. It ruptured my left tank, and it pulled with the hose on the other side. Yeah, I think that’s about 150 gallons worth of fuel."

The two accidents caused traffic delays along Highway 49 for at least two hours Wednesday night.