SEBASTIAN COUNTY (KFSM) -- Part of Highway 71 near Huntington was shut down on Monday (June 5) after a tanker truck overturned, spilling thousands of gallons of asphalt oil across the roadway. The highway reopened at about 5 p.m.
The tanker truck was carrying more than 6,000 gallons of flammable asphalt material, according to crews on scene.
Crews shut down the road to clear up the spill while a hazmat team helped in the clean up. Members of the fire department helped dig a pool for the oil to run into. Emergency management crews said the cost of the clean up will fall onto the company who owns the truck.
"The cost of this, we are looking in the magnitude of several thousands of dollars," said Travis Cooper, Sebastian County Emergency Management member. "Probably up to $20,000 to $30,000 at this moment."
Crews said they believe the oil will seep into the ground and the soil will have to be dug up and replaced.
The driver of the tanker truck was not injured.
Traffic was being diverted to Highway 252.
