Successful cleanup and recovery from an accident can sometimes take all night. This is especially true of accidents involving hazardous material spills. Even when teams work tirelessly and with maximum effort, uncontrollable circumstances make accident recovery and spill cleanup a lengthy process.
The Accident Recovery Process
Team Pro-Enviro and Pro-Tow follow detailed steps when completing accident recovery with a spill cleanup. Accident recovery can include:
- Truck and trailer recovery and towing
- Spill containment and spill cleanup (for hazardous materials)
- Cargo recovery and cleanup (for nonhazardous materials or heavy-duty equipment)
- The cleanup of the accident debris
- Disposal of materials
- Removal of all vehicles, waste, debris, or hazardous materials from the accident site.
- Transporting vehicles and trailers to a secure location.
The order in which these steps are followed depends on each accident. For example, we assess each case individually and work closely with emergency crews to determine the best course of action.
Accident Recovery with Multiple Spills
Pro-Enviro responded to an emergency dispatch in Sumner, WA, for a truck and trailer overturned in a ditch. The truck was hauling a trailer filled with cargo with a salt-like substance. Upon being overturned in the ditch, the trailer lost a large amount of the salt-like cargo while also leaking motor fluids, including diesel fuel, coolant, and hydraulic oil, onto the roadway. It required motor vehicle spill response.
Speedy fuel spill containment and recovery are essential for many reasons, including reducing environmental hazards posed by spills. In the Sumner incident, the immediate risk was to the nearby stream and a storm drain within 100ft. of the accident site. Both the cargo load of nonhazardous materials and the fuel and oil spills threatened these environments. It is important to remember that even nonhazardous materials and cargo loss can create environmental risks during accident recovery.
Pro-Tow was on the job to utilize heavy-duty equipment and complete the safe recovery of the truck and trailer. When immediate risks are involved, it is essential to stop and remove the source of the leaks and spills. Pro-Tow worked carefully with Team Pro-Enviro on this all-nighter to ensure environmental hazards were kept to a minimum. Pro-Enviro works closely with all emergency crews and local authorities to provide a well-coordinated recovery plan and effort.
This specific case involved the help of the Sumner Police Department and the City of Sumner Public Works.
And as may happen during the truck or trailer recovery, further spills occur. Pro-Enviro stayed on the job to ensure the proper remediation of the ditch in which the truck and trailer were stuck.
In the end, the salt-like substance turned out to be animal feed. The successful spill recovery of the feed meant a farmer was still able to use it.
Motor Vehicle Spill Response Day and Night
Pro-Enviro is on the call with 24-hour services, seven days a week. We handle all spills from cargo and loads to fuel, chemicals, and other hazardous materials. We consider safety, efficiency, and law-compliant clean-up practices the top priorities in all motor vehicle spill responses.
For more information on Pro-Enviro’s spill response services and to see photos of us in action, check out the other stories on our recovery blog.
