Tracy's Fire Chief Dale Johnson confirmed to the Independent on Wednesday that the cause of an alcohol spill incident Monday evening was the result of an overfilled tanker.
According to Johnson, a tank car containing denatured alcohol was reported leaking at 5:21 p.m. on Monday. A police officer arrived on the scene and called the fire department.
Within minutes, the police had cordoned off the scene and the fire department had laid a blanket of Class B foam around the tank car to prevent ignition.
Police evacuated residents of five houses downwind from the tank car. They were allowed to return about 10:30 p.m. Monday.
Johnson said the tanker was not damaged or overturned.
"Canadian Pacific sent a HazMat team who temporarily contained the leak to get the tank car moved to the yard," Johnson said. "Then it started leaking again at 1:21 a.m. on Tuesday morning. We repeated the same procedure. CP came back and transferred the contents to another rail car."
Johnson said Tracy Fire and Police had assistance from the Tracy Ambulance, the Lyon County Sheriff's Office and the Chemical Assessment Team based in Marshall. Highwater Ethanol in Lamberton sent extra foam.
- Steve Browne