What caused oil truck to tip over in Westborough? Police are investigating
WESTBOROUGH — An oil truck rolled over Thursday on Eli Whitney Street, blocking traffic for several hours and causing a small fuel spill, authorities said.
The cause of the noontime crash is not known.
"The operator of the vehicle was trying to navigate going toward West Main Street and, somehow, he lost control of his vehicle," police spokesman Lt. Michael Daniels said.
The oil truck was carrying 2,000 gallons of home-heating oil but it did not appear to spill. But there was a fuel spill, and other liquids did leak from the 2013 Freightliner, according to the Westborough Fire Department.
The driver was entrapped in the vehicle and the Fire Department had to free him. He suffered minor injuries but declined to be taken to the hospital.
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The crash occurred near the Fales Elementary School, 50 Eli Whitney St., which allowed police to use its parking lot and exit and entrance to assist with detours, Daniels said. School is out this week due to winter vacation.
"It shut down traffic because it was blocking three-quarters of the road," Daniels said. "We were fortunate no one was at school because that would have been a nightmare."
The Massachusetts State Police's truck team is assisting in the investigation. It was going to inspect the truck to make sure it wasn't overloaded or had a mechanical issue to cause the crash, Daniels said.
Norman Miller can be reached at 508-626-3823 or nmiller@wickedlocal.com. For up-to-date public safety news, follow him on Twitter @Norman_MillerMW or on Facebook at facebook.com/NormanMillerCrime.
This article originally appeared on MetroWest Daily News: Oil truck rolls over on Eli Whitney Street in Westborough
