An 18-wheeled tanker truck overturned onto its side in the middle of a street in Queens, prompting a major emergency response, according to Eyewitness News ABC7NY. The truck was loaded with 3,000 gallons of gasoline when it flipped.
The incident happened at around 10:30 in the morning at the intersection of Rockaway Boulevard and Meyer Avenue. The location is only a short distance from the end of a runway at John F. Kennedy International Airport.
Despite the large volume of fuel on board, there was no fire, the station reported. That outcome spared the surrounding area from what could have been a far more dangerous situation given the amount of gasoline involved.
Crews spread fire-retardant foam across the overturned vehicle in an effort to reduce the risk from the spilled fuel. The same foam was also spread on the street as responders worked to keep the situation under control.
As the response continued, the containment process began to move onto the roadway itself. Emergency workers focused on stopping the gasoline from spreading further across the area around the crash site.
The response forced the closure of Rockaway Boulevard in the area near Kennedy Airport. Aerial images showed heavy activity at the scene as crews managed the overturned tanker and the fuel it had been carrying.
No injuries were reported in connection with the overturned tanker, according to the broadcaster. Even so, officials said a massive cleanup still lay ahead as they worked to clear the site and remove the spilled gasoline.