Hazmat Spill In Mount Olive Wednesday Morning: Police

MOUNT OLIVE, NJ — A hazardous material spill has closed a Mount Olive Road Wednesday afternoon, Mount Olive police said.

The spill happened around 9:30 a.m. on Crease Road, police said. The driver of an 18 wheeler said the barrels of methyl alcohol in the trunk shifted, forcing the rear door open and falling onto the road. Several gallon totes containing 270 gallons of methyl alcohol fell onto the road, and one cracked.

About two gallons of methyl alcohol spilled onto the road, and the hazmat team responded to pump the rest of the alcohol out of the cracked barrel and into a new one. There is no hazard to the public, but Crease Road, from Cherri Lane to Station Road will be closed to traffic until the spill can be cleared.

Methyl alcohol is typically used as an industrial tool to create other chemicals. It is different from rubbing alcohol or drinking alcohol. It is not typically dangerous to humans unless consumed.

The Mount Olive Police Department and Budd Lake Fire Department were assisted at the scene by the Picatinny Arsenal HAZMAT team, the County of Morris HAZMAT unit, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and the Mount Olive TownshipDepartment of Public Works.

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