A major diesel fuel spill occurred on the Richardson Highway on Tuesday evening, when a tractor trailer overturned spilling over 4400 gallons onto the highway.

Alaska State Troopers responded to an Alaskan Petroleum tanker trailer roll-over on the Richardson Highway at 3:30 am on Wednesday to investigate the crash. They found that the tractor was hauling loaded double tanker trailers when the driver, 65-year-old Lawrence Cook of North Pole, encountered ice on the snow-covered road and consequently drove off the side of the road. When Cook went off the road, the rear tanker trailer overturned.

As a result, 4400 gallons of low-sulphur diesel spilled.

The Department of Environmental Control and Commercial Vehicle Enforcement also responded to the scene.

Cook was issued a citation for basic speed as it was determined that he was driving too fast for the conditions.

  diesel, richardson, rollover, spill, tractor trailer