Press Release: Route 3 in Bowie reopened Tuesday after a multi-vehicle accident involving an overturned tanker which snarled traffic Monday night. The collision happened on southbound Route 3 at around 9:30 p.m., near Route 450, officials said. "A passenger car, a box truck and a gasoline tanker (18 wheeler tractor-trailer) were involved in the crash. The gasoline tanker, loaded with nearly 9000 gallons of product, overturned and landed in the median strip of the northbound side of Route 301," officials said in a news release. Route 3 was shut down in both directions at Route 450 (Defense Highway) through the night.
The southbound lanes of Route 3 reopened early Tuesday morning. Crews then salted the northbound lanes and reopened them around 7:30 a.m. "Fortunately, the tanker remained intact during the crash," fire officials said. The overturned tanker truck was carrying 9,000 gallons of gasoline, officials said. "Haz-mat crews were successful in capping the leaking product and estimate about 100 gallons had spilled. The spilled product has been contained and will be absorbed and removed during the clean-up," fire officials said in a news release.
An empty tanker arrived and an off-load of gasoline from the overturned tanker to the empty tanker has started. According to a tweet from the fire department, Prince George's County Fire crews completed the transfer around 3:15 a.m. Maryland State Police, State Highway Administration (CHART) and County Police assisted with traffic control as Route 3 and Route 450 remained closed. There were 84 firefighters, paramedics, haz-mat personnel and ladies auxiliary on the scene.
The Maryland State Police will be investigating the crash.
Click image to enlarge. View all Struts in Action
