‘A good, safe operation,’ Peach EMA director says after ethanol tanker overturns

An ethanol tanker overturned in Peach County over the weekend, closing a section of Ga. 49 for nearly five hours.

But nobody was hurt, and there was no negative impact on the environment, Peach County Emergency Management Director Jeff Doles said Monday.

The tanker, which was carrying about 10,000 gallons of ethanol, overturned just before noon Saturday on Ga. 49 at Kewanee Drive, about one mile north of Bryon.

A car in front of the tanker turned abruptly, forcing the tanker driver to slam on the brakes, Doles said. The tanker went off the edge of the road and “it just laid over,” he said.

Only about 10 gallons of ethanol leaked out.

“It was a very slow leak,” Doles said. “We stopped it as soon as we got there.”

Multiple agencies were on site, including the Peach County Fire Department, Peach County Sheriff’s Office, the Georgia State Patrol, the state Motor Carrier Compliance Division, and the state Environmental Protection Division.

Detours directed traffic around the wreck site.

“It was a good, safe operation,” Doles said. “Nobody was hurt. There was no fire, and everything went like it was supposed to.”

This story was originally published November 27, 2017 at 12:30 PM with the headline "‘A good, safe operation,’ Peach EMA director says after ethanol tanker overturns."