Tanker truck crash closes Route 9, businesses evacuated

MARLBORO — A collision between two tanker trucks closed Route 9 in Monmouth County on Friday morning.

Marlboro police in a message posted to social media said one tanker rear ended the other at Newman Springs Road (Route 520) after 9:30 a.m. created a fuel spill of several thousand gallons and the evacuation of some nearby businesses.

New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection spokesman Larry Hajna said one tanker was carrying gasoline and the other diesel fuel but never overturned. At least 3,500 gallons of disel fuel was spilled, according to Hajna, and 2,500 gallons of gasoline.

One of the tanker trucks involved in a collision on Route 9 in Marlboro (NJ DEP)

Contractors on Friday afternoon set up equipment to transfer fuel from both trucks so they can be removed from the road.

Some of the spillage leaked into a stormwater basin while booms were placed to protect an unnamed tributary to Deep Run in Old Bridge.

Marlboro police said one of the drivers suffered a minor injury and was receiving treatment. The department has not disclosed the number of injuries or the circumstances of the crash.

The closure of Route 9 created heavy volume on Union Hill Road and Tennant Road as well as Route 18 as drivers tried to get around the closure.

Kristin, a worker at Salon Centric on Route 9 at Union Hill Road, said her salon has not been evacuated but her husband's workplace, Moe's Southwest Grille, located just north of her on Route 9, was closed.

Booms placed to protect an unnamed tributary to Deep Run in Old Bridge (NJ DEP)

She said it took one of her clients 45 minutes to get to the salon instead of the usual five minutes.

Bud McCormick, who drove through the area right after the crash, said there was a very strong odor of fuel oil.

Joe Cutter contributed to this report

Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com or via Twitter @DanAlexanderNJ