FOND DU LAC (NBC 26) — A Fond du Lac hazmat team responded to a leak Monday night coming from a semi-tractor box trailer.
At around 8:30 p.m. a substance was seen leaking from the rear doors of a semi-tractor box trailer traveling southbound on Hwy 41. Law enforcement made a traffic stop, just south of Hwy 151 on Hwy 41, and requested a Hazardous Materials response team.
Fond du Lac Fire Rescue personnel began investigating the possible source of the leak with assistance from the truck driver and the shipping company. A stream of the product was seen running from the rear cargo door of the semi-trailer. Fire Rescue personnel stopped the leak from spreading on the ground by creating a dam with absorbent material.
According to fire officials, Fond du Lac Fire Rescue Hazardous Materials Technicians entered the rear of the semi-trailer to try to determine the source of the leak amongst a mixed load of materials that was completely full.
A 55-gallon steel drum of a hazardous product was found to be empty. The drum had been punctured near the bottom, leaking its entire contents into the back of the trailer. The damaged drum contained an ink product which was a hazardous flammable liquid.
Technicians placed absorbent pads, pillows, and socks at the rear of the trailer to stop the flow of the ink product onto the ground. A contracted clean-up company was called to the scene to finish cleaning up the product.
Fond du Lac Fire Rescue was assisted by the Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Department and Wisconsin State Patrol who provided traffic control during the operation.
