A tanker truck carrying over 9,000 gallons of gasoline overturned and exploded early Wednesday in Rockville Centre, New York, causing a massive fire.
The driver lost control of the tanker, which crashed into a vacant La-Z-Boy showroom and burst into flames, according to The Associated Press.
Authorities were notified about the flipped tanker on Sunrise Highway at around 1:10 a.m., Rockville Centre Fire Chief James Avondet said, according to WNBC-TV.
“When I came here, there was fire everywhere, the streets, the tanker, the two buildings, and when I looked down Sunrise Highway, there was fire coming out of seven or eight manhole covers,” Avondet stated. “It’s one of the worst things I’ve seen in my 47-year career.”
The truck’s driver and two firefighters were hospitalized because of the crash, but all three have since been released according to WNBC-TV.
Major fire on Long Island- Rockville Centre. A 12,000 gas tanker overturned into a building then burst into flames. Burning gasoline went into the sewer & is burning for blocks. PAPD is sending crash trucks from JFK. pic.twitter.com/z17PXFLuMt
— NYCFireWire (@NYCFireWire) February 16, 2022
“There was fire everywhere.”
A tanker carrying 9,200 gallons of gasoline overturned, crashed into a vacant building and burst into flames on Long Island early Wednesday. The truck’s driver and three of the 150 firefighters who responded were injured. https://t.co/ApgVONNkjp pic.twitter.com/5N9Rmw2n6Z
— The Associated Press (@AP) February 16, 2022
All utilities in the area were also cut off due to the damage, WNBC-TV reported. Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman said that around 500 homes did not have power because of the crash as of 9:30 a.m. Wednesday. (RELATED: High Winds Fuel A Massive Fire Ripping Through Laguna Beach)
Firefighters were able to get the fire under control after the La-Z-Boy building collapsed, according to WNBC-TV. Another building was also damaged. Authorities are still investigating how the tanker lost control.