A two-vehicle crash involving a crude oil tanker truck caused a vegetation fire and a small oil spill east of Orcutt early Monday morning, according to the Santa Barbara County Fire Department.
Capt. Daniel Bertucelli said the crash was reported around 4:40 a.m. at Dominion and Orcutt Gary roads.
The tanker truck was fully loaded with crude oil, and ended up “on its side and in a ditch” after a collision with another vehicle, he said.
The cab of the truck caught fire and set some nearby trees ablaze, causing about a quarter-acre vegetation fire, Bertucelli said.
The truck driver had gotten out of the vehicle and was not injured, he said, while the driver of the other car was transported to the hospital with moderate injuries.
The truck fire did not spread to the trailer carrying oil, Bertucelli said.
About a half-gallon of oil spilled from the tanker truck trailer and was contained, he said in an update Monday morning.
The incident was reported to state agencies, including the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Bertucelli said.
The 6,000 gallons or so of crude oil in the tanker truck trailer will be transferred to a new truck, he said.
The Santa Maria City Fire Department and California Highway Patrol also responded to the scene.
— Noozhawk managing editor Giana Magnoli can be reached at gmagnoli@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.
