A diesel tanker overturned on State Route 243 about 5 p.m. Friday, April 26. The accident happened about 1 to 1.2 miles north of Mountain Center (past the Forest Service’s Keenwild Ranger Station toward Idyllwild).
A commercial paving truck towing a trailer with a pavement grinder overturned on the road. The fuel tank spilled about 60 to 80 gallons of fuel onto the roadway, according to Acting Idyllwild Fire Chief Mark LaMont.
The driver of the truck suffered minor injuries and no other vehicles were involved, according to the California Highway Patrol.
Riverside County Hazmat was dispatched, cleaning of the scene began last night and continued Saturday morning. Heavy duty tow trucks also arrived and cleared the roadway. CHP officers directed vehicles around the crash utilizing alternating, one way traffic control.
Photos by Steven King