Propane Tanker Crashes Into Cecil County Condominium Complex
PORT DEPOSIT, Md. (WJZ) -- Scary situation. An out-of-control tanker carrying thousands of gallons of propane barreled into a condo complex in Port Deposit Tuesday afternoon. Some people are still out of their homes.
Meghan McCorkell has the latest on this developing story.
Police have allowed some people to return to their homes inside that condo complex. Others could be out for days.
An 18-wheeler overturned and was wedged underneath a condo complex. Inside the tanker: thousands of gallons of propane.
"This truck just took off and it was like, vroom! Right through the intersection," said Gayle Wysock.
Wysock was outside her restaurant when she saw the tractor-trailer barrel down the hill on Center Street. She heard the massive crash as the tanker smashed into the building and ran down to help.
"Other people were screaming, `It's leaking, it's leaking propane! Get out of here, it's going to blow!'" she said.
Crews say there was no leak, but they temporarily evacuated part of the town.
Emergency crews worked for hours to pry the truck driver from the wreckage. He had minor injuries. Police say the driver was lost and looking for the entrance to 95. He radioed another trucker as he was coming down the hill.
"During that time, the driver stated that he had no brakes. Said he lost his brakes and was coming down the hill," said Lt. Michael Holmes, Cecil County Sheriff's Office.
Police evacuated several blocks around the crash site.
"That's a major explosion if something bad happens," said Rodney Reamer, one of the evacuees.
Norfolk Southern freight train service is now suspended through the town of Port Deposit.
Crews must now figure out how to remove the truck. That could have people out of their homes for several days.
Emergency crews pumped the propane from the truck into another truck. They will start trying to shore up the building Wednesday.
The driver is a 56-year-old man. He was taken to Christiana Hospital in Delaware.
