DELAWARE COUNTY, Ohio — An unusual highway spill in central Ohio left part of an interstate covered in Frank's RedHot sauce after a semi-truck carrying nearly 40,000 pounds of the condiment developed a leak, prompting an environmental response and cleanup effort.
The Berkshire, Sunbury, Trenton & Galena (BST&G) Fire District said crews responded June 30 after receiving reports of a semi-truck leaking an unidentified reddish liquid along the interstate.
In a
Facebook post, the fire district said the "mystery fluid turned out to be a trailer full of 40,000 lbs. of Frank's RedHot leaking," adding that the incident was a reminder that "you never know what you're going to encounter" on the job.
While the incident generated jokes online because of the well-known hot sauce brand, officials treated it as an environmental concern.
According to
The Columbus Dispatch, crews did not wash the sauce off the roadway because its acidic nature raised concerns about it entering storm drains and nearby waterways. Instead, responders used containment pools and hazardous materials equipment while notifying the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency to help prevent the spill from reaching drains.
In a statement to the Columbus Dispatch, BST &G Fire Chief Chris Kovach said the trucking company was responsible for arranging cleanup of the spill.
No injuries were reported in connection with the incident, and authorities have not released additional information about what caused the leak.
