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Driver Uninjured After Rolling Oil Truck Monday Morning; Road May Need To Be Dug Up

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A 41-year-old male escaped without injury after he lost control of and rolled an oil truck he was operating on New Lebbon Road Monday morning.

Newtown Police report Daniel Irizarry of Naugatuck was operating a 2002 International 400 Series 4400 oil tanker on New Lebbon around 7:25 am October 31, when the truck left the roadway, struck a utility pole on the southern shoulder, and then crossed the road, rolling onto the driver’s side. The truck came to rest on the northern shoulder east of 82 New Lebbon, between that road’s intersections with High Rock Road and Beagle Trail.

The road was closed following the crash. DEEP is evaluating whether the road is going to need to be dug up and replaced.

Irizarry was able to self-extricate from the truck. He reported no injuries.

The truck had been carrying 2,200 gallons of home heating oil. The vehicle was registered to Parkway Oil Company of Stratford.

Botsford Fire Rescue and Sandy Hook Volunteer Fire & Rescue were first dispatched to the scene. While en route, Botsford Assistant Chief Pete Blomberg asked to have DEEP also dispatched.

Sandy Hook Volunteer Fire & Rescue Chief Anthony Capozziello was the first firefighter on scene. Capozziello confirmed the leaking fuel, called for Public Works dump trucks to begin transporting sand to the site, and asked for dispatch to contact Eversource. The utility pole was broken in two places, but the wires were still intact.

Blomberg said the oil “was coming out pretty good” when he and other first responders arrived.

Blomberg said firefighters and DEEP began using tarps to funnel the leaking oil out of the truck into a temporary catch basin.

DEEP contacted Moran Environmental Recovery, which sent an evacuation truck to finish pulling the oil out of the tank.

“We managed to slow down the leak though,” Blomberg added. “We were able to contain what was spilling until that truck arrived. It was possibly a couple hundred gallons that got out.”

Approximately 15 firefighters responded to the scene, he said. Sandy Hook firefighters left around 8:15.

It took nearly 2½ hours for the oil to be fully unloaded from the truck.

Hilario’s sent at least two heavy-duty wreckers, which uprighted and then towed the oil truck.

Botsford firefighters cleared from the scene just before 11 am.

Eversource had already been to and left the scene.

“The pole that was broken was sistered on to another pole,” Blomberg said. “The pole that was carrying most of the wires — mostly communications wires — was still intact.

“It wasn’t critical that they replace the broken pole immediately,” the assistant chief said. “They’ll be back to replace it."

DEEP was still on site and the road was still closed by late morning, however. Blomberg said it would be at least a few more hours before that team would be leaving.

“There was oil spillage on the road,” he explained. “They’re evaluating whether they’re going to have to dig up the road.”

No charges were immediately filed. The incident remains under investigation.

Michael Dziubina, second lieutenant for Botsford Fire Rescue, told The Newtown Bee that at least one homeowner in the area had concerns about their well water.

"We were told that any concerned homeowners in the area should contact Connecticut DEEP and they will handle well water concerns and testing information," Dziubina said.

The state agency can be reached at 860-424-3000 or deep.communications@ct.gov, according to its website. Additional information may also be available at portal.ct.gov/DEEP.

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Managing Editor Shannon Hicks can be reached at shannon@thebee.com.

Botsford Assistant Chief Pete Blomberg, on the left, speaks with Sandy Hook Volunteer Fire & Rescue Chief Anthony Capozziello as additional first responders arrive on New Lebbon Road shortly before 8 am. Firefighters, Newtown Police, DEEP, Eversource, and Newtown Public Works employees all responded to New Lebbon Road this morning, after an oil truck crashed between that road’s intersection with High Bridge Road and Beagle Trail. —Bee Photo, Hicks
Oil was pouring out of the truck when first responders began arriving shortly before 8 am this morning. —Sandy Hook Volunteer Fire & Rescue photo
The driver clipped a utility pole on the southern side of the road before the truck went across New Lebbon and rolled onto its driver’s side. —Botsford Fire Rescue photo
Multiple first response agencies responded to the scene. —Botsford Fire Rescue photo
Firefighters used a tarp and a temporary catch basin to catch oil offloading from the truck until an evacuation truck could get to the scene to get the remaining oil out of the vehicle. —Sandy Hook Volunteer Fire & Rescue photo
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2 comments
  1. otanduw@att.net says:

    This is the third truck that’s gone off the road since Dec 2020. Maybe time to post a no thru truck sign.

  2. tomj says:

    Since they were likely ignoring the speed limit signs I don’t know if a no thru truck sign would work. Also, that road is one of the best for cutting through from 34 to 25.

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