The Trenton Times published the following article on April 24, 2013. To read the full article, click here.

Truck leaks used cooking oil throughout Trenton, Hamilton

By Alex Zdan/The Times 
on April 24, 2013 at 8:35 PM

TRENTON — A 3-foot wide slick of used cooking oil dripping from a truck created a miles-long spill this afternoon that stretched from downtown Trenton to the interstate in Hamilton, fire officials said.

Two sand trucks from the Department of Transportation were sent out to put some traction over the mess, which firefighters at first thought consisted of hydraulic fluid when they were called out around 3 p.m.

“Hydraulic fluid would have run out, so that’s why we think it’s a truck that goes around sucking up cooking oil,” Battalion Chief Steve Coltre said.

The spill began on Market Street, continued onto Stockton Street and Route 1, onto Route 29 and Lalor Street before I-195 heading out of the city, then kept on going on I-295 in Hamilton, Coltre said.

“It went lighter and heavier as I think (the truck) speeded up and slowed down,” he said.
Coltre finally stopped following the trail at the White Horse Avenue exit in Hamilton, but said it continued into the township. Trenton advised Hamilton firefighters of the slick.

Officials believe the truck may have hit a curb, accidentally dislodging a coupling firefighters found along the way.

“If he had been dumping it, we wouldn’t have found it,” Coltre said.