(San Jose television station NBC-11 posted the following story on its website on July 15.)
RODEO, Calif. — A chemical spill in the East Bay has been contained after an accident involving an Amtrak train and a tanker truck transporting bleach.
The accident happened just before 7 a.m. in Rodeo near San Pablo.
The tanker truck was transferring a 1,600-gallon load of bleach over to the sewage treatment plant on the other side of the Rodeo railroad tracks.
Raul Zamuvio was driving the tanker truck. “I stopped, looking both ways and I didn’t see nothing, then I went. I tried to cross. When I was in the middle, I saw the train coming so I didn’t make it.” He said.
Zamuvio said he thought of his family, said a prayer and closed his eyes as the train hit. He suffered a minor injury to his leg.
A hazardous materials crew was on the scene almost immediately and plugged the leak in the truck but not before it could spill 100-200 gallons of the bleach.
Crews used a cat litter type of absorbent to sop up as much of the liquid as possible.
Eric Jonsson, with the Conta Costa County Hazmat Program said the material will not permanently damage the soil. “It’s bleach. It will sanitize microbes but they are pretty hearty.”
Trains began moving through the area not long after the accident. There was minimal damage to the passenger train and none of the passengers was injured. All of the passengers were transferred to another train.