A tractor-trailer rollover closed a portion of I-88 near Central Bridge and forced the evacuation of several homes along Route 7 Sunday.
It was the second tractor-trailer accident in Schoharie County in a week; the first happened on Thursday in Middleburgh.
The crash on I-88 happened about 5:30am when the driver of a truck carrying containers of natural gas drifted off the eastbound lanes and overturned in the median, Scott Johnson, first assistant chief with the Central Bridge Fire Department, told the media at a press briefing at the Schoharie park and ride.
Natural gas leaked from the containers but was contained, officials said. Still, the crash forced the interstate to be closed and nearby homes to be evacuated as a precaution.
While natural gas could be dangerous, it’s lighter than air and dissipates, according to Bernie Kirk, deputy chief of Special Operations with the state Office of Fire Prevention and Control.
Both east- and westbound lanes were closed between the Shad Point and Central Bridge exits on I-88.
Besides Central Bridge volunteers, fire departments from Cobleskill and Schoharie helped secure the scene, and the AMR Ambulance Service was also called.
State Police Lieutenant J.E. Huber did not release the name of the driver but said he did not suffer “treatable” injuries and exited the truck cab himself.
Lt. Huber said the investigation is continuing and charges are pending.
Getting the truck upright and other recovery efforts took hours, so the interstate was closed for most of the day Sunday.
The Federal Aviation Administration also issued a temporary flight restriction for 2,000 feet above the crash scene, according to State Police.
State Police are also investigating an accident Thursday afternoon that saw a truck hauling a large off-road pole-setting machine cross Route 145 Middleburgh without stopping, pushing a car off the road, and destroying part of a three-car garage.
According to rescue volunteers, the truck was coming down Cotton Hill Road but never stopped, striking the car and then continuing south, through the side of the garage before rolling its load in a field hundreds of feet past the garage.
Middleburgh, Schoharie, and Huntersland Fire Departments were called to the scene and the Schoharie County Hazmat Team was called in to help contain fluids.
A Life Net helicopter was also placed on standby, but subjects involved were transported by ambulance to local hospitals for non-life-threatening injuries.
A&M Towing handled the cleanup and was on the scene till after dark.