Overturned tanker carrying thousands of gallons of cooking oil snarls traffic in Bergen County
Officials say the crash happened around 10 a.m. Tuesday on the Route 17 ramp heading south to Route 3 East.
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An overturned tanker truck carrying thousands of gallons of cooking oil caused traffic issues for hours in Bergen County.
The truck overturned around 10 a.m. Tuesday on the Route 17 ramp heading south to Route 3 East in Rutherford. Officials say it was carrying 6,000 gallons – or 40,000 pounds- of cooking oil. They say the tanker was en route to a railroad distribution hub in Pennsylvania when it overturned.
Authorities say the Bergen County hazmat team was called as a precaution, but they say the tanker did not rupture and no oil leaked from the vehicle. The oil was pumped into a second tanker truck and went on to its final destination, according to officials.
The driver was not seriously injured but reported hurting his shoulder.
The incident caused traffic backups on both sides of Route 3 for several hours while crews worked to remove the oil and upright the tanker. The highway was expected to reopen by 6 p.m.
