MOUNTAIN HOUSE – A tractor-trailer carrying a mix of gasoline and ethanol jackknifed Tuesday afternoon on Interstate 205 near Mountain House, resulting in a full closure of the freeway and a major backup on Interstate 580, according to authorities.
The incident happened around 1 p.m. on westbound I-205 just west of the Alameda County line, said California Highway Patrol Officer Tyler Hahn. The tractor-trailer was pulling two tankers, one of which overturned and leaked about three gallons of the flammable liquid.
Alameda County firefighters managed to stop the leak without being exposed to the hazard, Hahn said, adding that the driver of the tractor-trailer also escaped injury.
While the remainder of the gasoline and ethanol mix was pumped out of the overturned trailer, westbound traffic on I-205 was redirected onto Mountain House Road and eastbound traffic was redirected onto eastbound I-580, according to Hahn.
“The hazmat personnel have advised that, since the liquid is extremely flammable, the safe distance when pumping it from the tank is at least 1,000 feet from the spill,” he said.
As of 10 p.m., all lanes of eastbound I-205 and westbound I-205 had reopened.
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