Crime & Safety
Truck Holding Burnable Chemicals Caught Fire on West Main Road
A truck containing 7000 gallons of methanal caught fire on West Main Road Wednesday morning. No injuries were reported
updated at 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 27
A tanker truck carrying around 7000 gallons of the commercial chemical methanol caught fire on West Main Road on Wednesday morning. No injuries were reported and there were no reported leaks from the container.
“Once the driver noticed the smoke coming from his vehicle he immediately stopped and used a fire extinguisher to put out the fire,” said Lt. Robert Nutt with the Middletown Police Department.
According to Middletown Fire Chief Ronald Doire, the truck's brakes malfunctioned and locked up, which caused them to heat and smoke.
Find out what's happening in Middletownwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
The Rhode Island State Police Truck squad was summoned to the scene to investigate why the braking system malfunctioned and the investigation has been turned over to their department.
"The Middletown Police Department, Middletown Fire Department and State Police all worked quickly to stop traffic, clear the area around the vehicle and ensure the safety of everyone," said Nutt.
Find out what's happening in Middletownwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
