Make wishtv.com your home page

Jet fuel cleanup after fiery tanker crash could take weeks, state officials say

The driver of a semi tanker was rushed to the hospital after it overturned on a ramp in the area of I-465 and I-70 on the city's east side. (Provided Photo/Tim Nelson)

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The cleanup of jet fuel — spilled from a crashed tanker and ignited into a fireball on an interstate ramp Feb. 20 — could take weeks, the Indiana Department of Environmental Management said Thursday.

Jet Star, the Zionsville-based trucking company that owns the tanker and the fuel that were involved in the crash, hired an environmental cleanup company and will pay for the cleanup.

Sarah Bonick, a spokeswoman for the state’s Environmental Management, also said Thursday that the jet fuel was almost entirely composed of kerosene.

“This fuel produces an odor when evaporation occurs which is dependent on multiple factors including wind velocity, temperature and the fuel layer thickness. Throughout cleanup activities, fuel odors or fuel sheen may be present, but they will lessen as the cleanup progresses,” Bonick said in an email to News 8.

The tanker crashed on I-465 near I-70 and left behind several thousands of gallons of fuel. Some of that fuel made its way into waterways near parks and neighborhoods. According to officials, there is no immediate health concern to the public. Crews began working on the cleanup Friday.

Also, a number of ducks have been rescued from the area; one died.

The tanker driver, Jeffrey Denman, 59, of Brownsburg, remains in critical condition in an Indianapolis hospital.