Accident stopped traffic on Route 73 in Keene on Monday
By Eric Teed
A tanker truck overturned Monday on Route 73 in Keene, between where Route 73 meets with Route 9 and Chapel Pond.
The accident and spill happened around 3 p.m. and closed traffic in both directions on the key High Peaks roadway. The road is now reopened and clean-up work continued on Tuesday.
Essex County police, fire, and emergency services radio said the driver sustained an arm injury.
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The 3,000-gallon tanker was leaking a product similar to driveway sealant from a hole the size of a softball. Sealant ran along the side of the road. HazMat crews brought in sand and deployed other barriers to contain the spill.
Essex County Emergency Services Director Matthew Watts confirmed the substance spilled was tack coat, a bonding agent used in paving projects. “Our main concern is the river to the north.”
Watts called the spill “significant” but it was contained quickly and the amount of material that reached the waterway was minimal. He added that “quick actions by fire personnel helped mitigate the environmental impact.”
Watts also said that a UPS driver was the first on the scene and “got him out of the truck to safety and saved him from serious injury.”
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Editor’s note: This has been updated with information about the road reopening and additional information and photos of the clean-up.
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