SHELBURNE — A 21,000-gallon liquid propane truck owned by Suburban Propane slid off Zerah Fiske Road about a half-mile from Lucy Fiske Road on Thursday morning.
As of 10:15 a.m., there is an active leak and the truck is on its side. The call came in at 9:17 a.m. There are no reported injuries and the driver is out of the truck.
“If it was to ignite, it would be a rather large explosion,” said Shelburne Police Chief Greg Bardwell.
Houses within a half-mile perimeter of the site have been evacuated. Zerah Fiske Road, where the incident happened, has been shut down at Lucy Fiske Road to the east and on the other side of South Shelburne Road.
Bardwell estimated that the road will be shut down a good portion of the day, hours at least.
“It’s leaking. There is a positive leak right now,” he said.
Responding to the scene are Greenfield Fire Department, Shelburne Fire Department, South Shelburne Center Fire Department, Colrain Fire Department and firefighters from Deerfield, as well.
A Tier I Hazmat crew has been called for from the state. State Police are also present.
The environmental impact is not yet known.
Bardwell advised anyone in the area to avoid the scene.
The propane gas leak does not affect the Mohawk Trail/Route 2, although there are delays from milling on the road.
This story will be updated as more details become available.