Shortly after 8 am on Friday, reports of an overturned tanker came into the Lawrence County Dispatch Center. The HAZMAT Team from the Walnut Ridge Fire Department along with units from the Hoxie Fire Department responded to Hwy 67 between Alicia and Swifton in Jackson County where a tanker carrying 7,900 gallons of Ethanol had overturned and caught fire.
Deputies from the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office along with the Arkansas State Police shut down Hwy. 67 and re-routed traffic. The highway was expected to be closed for several hours, as of noon it was closed. Union Pacific halted all rail service along Hwy 67.
Jackson County reported the driver of the truck was taken to Harris Hospital in Newport with what was reported as minor injuries. Medical unit from Walnut Ridge were placed on standy during the incident.
For more information on the Walnut Ridge Fire Department, visit www.walnutridgefd.com . For more information on the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office visit www.lawrencecountysheriffsoffice.com .