Tuesday September, 5 2023 @ 07:57

Nature: Vehicle Accident w/Medics

Location: North of Zoar on Wood Branch

Zoar Rd and Wood Branch Rd Georgetown, DE 19947

On Tuesday, September 5th, the Indian River (80) was alerted to provide an Engine Crew along with Millsboro (83), Milton (85), and Dagsboro (73) fire companies to assist the Georgetown (77) Fire Company with a vehicle accident.  Additional emergency alerts included the Sussex County Paramedics, the Delaware State Police Aviation Unit – Trooper #2, DNREC Hazardous Materials Unit, the Delaware State Fire School, the Delaware State Fire Marshall, the Delaware Department of Transportation, and the Georgetown American Legion Ambulance. It was reported to be an overturned vehicle behind the Sussex Correctional Institution on Wood Branch Road.

Emergency response units from Indian River included Engine #80-3 from the Long Neck facility.

Emergency response crews were required to assist with manual unloading a commercial box truck that was carrying various cylinders loaded with compressed gases.

It appears that a commercial box truck carrying various cylinders loaded with compressed gases overturned on Wood Branch Road causing the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control to declare a Level 1 State Emergency Response (SERT) Incident.  This Level 1 designation consists of the local fire departments, DNREC Emergency Response Teams, and the Delaware State Fire School (DSFS) Emergency Response Teams. DNREC is designated the Hazardous Materials (Hazmat) Operations Branch Manager for the Fire Complany Officer in Charge.

The Delaware State Fire Police were replaced with DELDOT for traffic control assistance for the duration of the incident. This specific area of roadway was closed for much of the day to allow mitigation activities to be completed.

The Delaware State Police and DNREC are investigating.

Additional information regarding the incident may be obtained by viewing the following websites:

• WGMD News - https://www.wgmd.com/hazmat-situation-closes-wood-branch-rd-near-georgetown-for-over-7-hours/

Hazmat Situation Closes Wood Branch Rd Near Georgetown for Over 7 Hours

  A crash just before 8 this morning shut down Wood Branch Road between Zoar Road and Sussex Pines Road near Georgetown because of a hazmat situation. DNREC officials tell the Talk of Delmarva that a box truck carrying cylinders of compressed gas rolled over on Wood Branch Road – dislodging 110 cylinders of compressed gas some flammable – and some non-flammable. Several of the cylinders began leaking and DNREC ERT secured those cylinders by venting them or closing valves that had opened upon contact.

The cleanup has been going on much of the day – and the roadway has just been reopened by DelDOT around 3:30pm.

Delaware State Police say the driver was a 51 year old man from East New Market who for unknown reasons ran off the north side of Wood Branch Road – he over-corrected and the truck overturned. There were no injuries and the driver was cited for inattentive driving.