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Fair Tanker truck crashes in Merrick, road closures and traffic delays reported
Updated: 5:10 p.m., Feb. 28: On Feb. 28, a tractor trailer from Sprague Energy in Lawrence, carrying 11,000 gallons of fuel, crashed in Merrick, taking down powerlines, causing road closures and traffic delays. The crash occurred near the intersection of Lansdowne Avenue and Sunrise Highway, in front of Kitchen Legacy just after 5 a.m.
According to the Nassau County Police Department, the tanker truck heading eastbound collided with a potentially illegally parked car carrier on Sunrise Highway. No one was inside the car carrier at the time of the crash.
The Merrick Fire Department, the NCPD’s Emergency Service Unit, PSEG Long Island and additional cleanup crews were on the scene this morning, diverting traffic and assessing the damage. No injuries were reported. Officals said the driver of the tanker truck had a clean driving record.
The truck did not hit any buildings, however, there was some fuel spillage. Friendship Engine and Hose Co. 2, which is part of the Merrick Fire Department, posted on Facebook that the department was alerted of the incident at 5:08 a.m. The cheif of the department arrived on the scene, confirming the incident. The company responded, alongside units from Merrick FD's Empire Hose Co. 3, and Merrick Truck Co. 1 to control leaking fluids from the truck.
A number of power lines down were taken down in the crash. According to the PSEG outage map, there were no related power outages related to the incident as of 8:30 a.m.
South Shore Sportsman, the firearms and tactical gear shop next to Kitchen Legacy, posted on Facebook that the truck crashed very close to their business. They announced they will be closed on Feb. 28, and have a delayed opening on March 1 due to the incident.
This is the second tanker truck accident on Sunrise Highway in two weeks. A truck crashed in Rockville Centre on Feb. 16, before exploding and engulfing the building it hit in flames.
Lansdowne Avenue was closed in both directions from the corner of Overbrook Place to Sunrise Highway. Sunrise Highway had one lane open heading eastbound, causing traffic delays between Babylon Turnpike and Merrick Avenue. Cars traveling westbound on Sunrise experienced little to no delays.
