Semi Hauling Oil Spills 3,000 Gallons Near Washougal

WASHOUGAL, Wash. (AP) — Cleanup crews are on scene near Washougal, where a tractor-trailer hauling two tankers of hot oil crashed and spilled about 3,000 gallons.

The Columbian newspaper reports that according to the Washington State Patrol, the driver approached a 40-mph curve going 60 mph on state Highway 14 Tuesday morning, eight miles east of Washougal. When the rear tanker began to drift, the driver overcorrected and hit a guardrail.

Washington State Department of Transportation spokesman Bart Treece says that of the 10,000 gallons the rig was carrying, about 3,000 spilled on the road and nearby grass. State Department of Ecology employees responded to assess the damage, but it's not clear how long the cleanup will take.

Authorities closed both lanes of the highway.