Plainedge Bus Breaks Down, Shuts Down Lane of Hempstead Turnpike

A bus carrying the Plainedge High School boys soccer team leaked gasoline onto the westbound side of Hempstead Turnpike Wednesday afternoon, causing one lane of the roadway to be shut down.

According to the bus driver, who was at the scene, the bus, which was carrying the team to their game against Sewanhaka, began to break down at approximately 3:15 p.m. After the bus was pulled over, the driver noticed that the bus was leaking gasoline.

The Nassau County Fire Marshal Hazmat unit and the East Meadow Fire Department responded to the call and cleaned up the spill. The right lane of the turnpike was closed from the area just past the parking lot of the 7-Eleven on the corner of Division Avenue to the location of the stalled bus at the corner of Shelter Lane.

The Nassau County Police Department helped to divert traffic as the spill was cleaned up. A minor car accident occurred on the eastbound side of the turnpike.

According to a member of the East Meadow Fire Department who was at the scene, the fuel tank, which holds more than 60 gallons of gas, was filled earlier that morning. He estimated that approximately five gallons leaked out of the bus.

The bus was towed as the spill was being cleaned up under it.