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WATERFORD, PA - Just after 11:00 p.m. Station 14 was dispatched for a tractor trailer rollover near the intersection of State Route 19 and 97 south of the borough. Initial reports from Erie County dispatch had no entrapment and unknown contents in the tanker. These roads are a major connector between southern Erie County and the city of Erie. The fact that these roads were shut down for thirteen hours caused major delays in traffic and many headaches for drivers locally.

The first arriving units confirmed one semi on its side off the road. Rescue 148 and Ambulance 147 positioned the apparatus and requested the paramedic from Emergycare to go in-service, possible patient refusal. Command was then established and little did we anticipate a 13+ hour day ahead of us.

The driver was self-extricated and initially refused medical treatment but later was transported to be evaluated. The truck was hauling liquid asphalt which leaked out into the snow quickly hardening and not causing a hazard to the environment. Also the top hatch had broken loose but again due to the temperature being 9 degrees outside, the asphalt froze and sealed itself.

While waiting for another truck to arrive to offload the tanker, Penelec and Verizon workers began the long process of replacing the shattered telephone pole that was struck by the rear of the trailer and replacing the wires. This process took just over 8 hours with the second tanker showing up 10 hours into the incident, then off loading while the line workers continued.

Assisting the Stancliff Hose Co. Station 14 members were the following: PA State Police, fire police from Union City, Mill Village, Elgin Beaverdam, Kuhl Hose, Kearsarge, Corry Fire Department, Edinboro Fire Department and Perry Hi-Way Fire Department. Also offering an invaluable service to all units that responded was the Stancliff Ladies Auxiliary who brought refreshments out several times throughout the incident.

On last note, during the first hours of the incident we had two vehicles drive through the scene which the PA State Police quickly secured. One of the drivers was taken into custody and the other driver was given several citations.