Semi-Truck Accident Leads to Major Fuel Spill on U.S. Highway 195 in Colfax, Washington

A semi-tractor trailer crash south of Colfax resulted in the spillage of an estimated 6,000 gallons of fuel on Sunday. The incident occurred when a truck with two trailers carrying fuel was traveling southbound on U.S. Highway 195, 3 miles south of Colfax, around 9 p.m. on Sunday. The driver swerved to avoid a cat in the road, resulting in the loss of control of the vehicle.

The second trailer flipped on its side and spilled a "significant amount" of fuel on the ground. The trailer was carrying a mixed load of fuel, with an estimated 4,000 gallons of diesel and 2,000 gallons of gasoline lost in the incident. The road was blocked off for about six hours and reopened at 3 a.m. on Monday while officers assessed the damage and cleanup crews arrived.

The driver was not injured. Some of the spilled fuel leaked into Spring Flat Creek and cleanup crews put an absorbent boom in the creek to prevent the fuel from traveling further downstream. The cleanup is still ongoing and the department will assess the area and possibly excavate soil to ensure that the fuel has not soaked into the ground.