A fuel truck rolled over on westbound U.S. 50 in Sacramento Wednesday, spilling diesel from its large tank and triggering a hazmat response. The driver was transported from the scene, and crews worked to contain the leak as officials urged drivers to steer clear of the area.
The Sacramento Fire Department
The Sacramento Fire Department reported the rollover at westbound U.S. 50 at 10th Street, saying crews arrived to find the truck leaking diesel fuel from its large tank. The department said hazmat teams were mitigating the leak and asked the public to avoid the area if possible due to cleanup efforts. The truck was overturned.
The fire department's own post described the situation as a hazmat/rollover incident.
Conflicting Accounts of the Driver's Condition
The Sacramento Fire Department said the driver was transported in stable condition. The department has not provided further detail on the driver's identity.
Caltrans encouraged drivers to seek alternate routes. No fuel-spill quantity for the Sacramento incident has been verified by either source.
In 2023, an overturned fuel truck caused a disruption elsewhere in Northern California.
Overturned fuel trucks have caused similar disruptions elsewhere in Northern California this year. In Calaveras County, an overturned fuel truck spilled about 300 gallons of diesel onto Highway 12 near Wallace, according to KCRA, which reported the truck had been hauling roughly 7,600 gallons of diesel and that crews had to offload the remaining fuel before the vehicle could be moved. Crews there also built a dike to keep diesel from reaching Bear Creek.
In July, a fuel tanker overturned on SR-32 near the Tehama and Butte counties line, blocking both lanes, KRCR TV reported. That crash saw the tank burst and leak 2,500 gallons of diesel, prompting a hazmat cleanup that kept the highway closed for 11.5 hours before it reopened to traffic.
No comparable timeline has been established for the Sacramento closure, and officials have not said when the affected U.S. 50 lanes or the ramp will fully reopen. Drivers heading through the area during the cleanup should consider alternate routes until crews clear the scene.
