Truck accident turns sticky

Written by Patty Decker Tuesday, 09 February 2010 19:32

This truck’s broken molasses tank resulted in a sticky U.S. Highway 56 a mile east of Hillsboro and caused a temporary halt of traffic while Hillsboro Fire Department volunteers cleaned up the mess. A two-vehicle accident on U.S. Highway 56 and Sante Fe Street near Hillsboro early Thursday afternoon ended up being a sticky mess for some Marion County emergency responders and their vehicles, not to mention a temporary halt in highwy traffic for cleanup.

The incident involved a 1995 International truck hauling about 1,000 gallons of molasses and a 2007 Kenworth tractor-trailer.

Marion County Deputy Mike Ottensmeier said both vehicles were heading west on U.S. 56 when the semi, driven by Martin Robinson of Ottawa, began slowing to make a left turn onto Santa Fe Street and Countryside Feed LLC. As that vehicle attempted the turn, the truck, driven by Wesley McGuire of Sioux Falls, S.D., apparently had brake failure, causing it to collide into the back of the semi.

With about 10,000 pounds of molasses sloshing inside the tank, Ottensmeier said the impact of the crash probably caused the tank to burst, resulting in the sugary substance spewing over both lanes of the highway.

The accident happened at about 1:55 p.m., Ottensmeier said. Within minutes, Hillsboro firefighters were at the scene picking up the larger pieces of plastic laying along the shoulder of the road.

By about 2:30 p.m., more firefighters arrived with a pumper truck ready to hose down the road with water and sweep the fluid into the ditch.

Mike Schneider with the Kansas Department of Transportation in Marion was also at the scene to make sure no hazards would result from the spill. Hillsboro Fire Department volunteers wash off the molasses from the highway as traffic waits.

Prior to traffic being stopped at 3 p.m., allowing firefighters time to clean up the sticky liquid, Ottensmeier’s vehicle had a continuous dousing of molasses spray from passing cars and trucks. The molasses was sticky enough, he said, that it was even hard to open his car door.

Robert McGuire is the owner of the molasses tank-truck, which was towed.

The tractor-trailer is owned by New Life of Princeton. Once the accident information was completed, the driver was able to continue to his destination in the industrial park.