Truck Crashes Carrying 40K Pounds of Contaminated Soil From Ohio Toxic Train Derailment

A truck hauling 40,000 pounds of contaminated soil from the Ohio toxic train derailment site crashed Monday in Columbiana County, not far from the massive clean-up location, authorities said.

Troopers from the Ohio State Highway Patrol were called to the crash site, where about half the truck's load had spilled onto the road, authorities said.

"The preliminary investigation revealed that the commercial vehicle was traveling northbound when it went off of the right side of the roadway, struck a ditch and utility pole, and ultimately overturned," the highway patrol said in a statement.

The driver lost control of the truck and its trailer and was treated for minor injuries, authorities said. He was "cited for operating a vehicle without reasonable control," the department said. 

The state's Environmental Protection Agency said "the spill was contained and is not a threat to nearby waterways." 

The truck full of a contaminated soil is part of a huge environment clean-up effort at the East Palestine derailment site. In February, a train carrying toxic chemicals crashed and burned in the Ohio hamlet, forcing residents to evacuate and prompting widespread complaints of horrible smells, livestock and pet deaths and contaminated water supplies.

The crash is being investigated by federal, state and local authorities and environmental agencies.

Related Stories