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3rd Truck in 10 Days Dumps Paint Load

Friday, August 17, 2012

More items for Environmental Controls

The third crash of a paint-loaded rig in 10 days has dumped a load of industrial paint on a highway in Michigan.

The truck was owned by Sheboygan Paint and carrying industrial paint made by the company when it overturned Thursday (Aug. 16) morning and left most of its load on Interstate 43 near Sheboygan, shutting down part of the highway for five hours.

Sheboygan Paint

Sheboygan Paint manufactures a variety of coatings for industrial, agricultural and other applications.

Sheboygan, established in 1921, manufactures coatings for containers, agricultural equipment, electric transformers and other structures, engines, transportation and other sectors.

The mid-sized single axle truck was northbound and crossed the center line of the highway, striking an oncoming car and then rolling over, police said. A company representative was on scene to help first responders, the said.

The truck driver, Timothy Barthels, 58, of Sheboygan, was not injured; the other driver, Adeline Herzog, 85, of Sheboygan, was hospitalized with what were reported to be minor injuries, according to Sheboygan County Sheriff’s Lt. Mark Rupnik.

No citations were issued against Barthels, the Sheriff's Department said.

Hazardous Materials

Although the cargo included toxic paint, none of it spilled, the sheriff’s department said. The coating that spilled was determined to be water-based paint, non-toxic and nonflammable, authorities said.

The total volume of paint spilled was not immediately available from authorities.

In addition to the sheriff’s office, the Sheboygan County Hazardous Materials Team, Sheboygan County Highway Department, Wisconsin State Patrol Vehicle Inspection Trooper, Town of Sheboygan First Responders, Haven Fire Department and Orange Cross Ambulance responded to the scene.

Investigation Continuing

The paint company issued no statement, and the incident remained under investigation.

The crash was the third by a truck loaded with paint in 10 days. On Aug. 7, a 2001 Freightliner Truck belonging to Interstate Road Management Corp. of Hazleton, PA, ran off an onramp in Virginia and dumped 700 gallons of paint on the ramp.

And on Tuesday (Aug. 14), an overweight truck owned by Wistar Trucking LLC, of Ashland, VA, lost control on a steep road in Montour Falls, NY, smashing 3,700 gallons of paint across the road. That driver was cited, and the cleanup continued Friday, reports said.

Comment from Mary Chollet, (8/20/2012, 12:15 PM)

Update: Sheboygan hazmat officials now advise that the spilled material totaled 1,195 gallons, all of it waterborne coatings. The truck also carried two 55-gallon drums of solvent-borne coatings, but they were not damaged in the incident.