Little Mountain residents return home after gas truck accident

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LITTLE MOUNTAIN, S.C. — Roads have reopened in Little Mountain after a gasoline tanker flipped over on SC-202 Monday morning.

The accident took place around 6 am, when a gasoline tanker truck headed down SC-202 flipped, causing a spill, road closures and evacuations.

The accident sparked a fuel leak, which has since been contained and is no longer a threat to the public, according to authorities.

Residents were asked to evacuate around dusk and were given the all-clear to return home around midday. Now, they are reflecting on the many emotions they felt when they received a disturbing wake-up call.

"It was very emotional because that's how fast life can change, and his life did change very quickly," said Carla Hall, who walked out her front door to see the gasoline tanker flipping towards her home.

"I heard the rumble strips, something hitting the rumble strips, and when it started flipping is when I just turned around and really noticed something was going on, and it continued to flip and hit the phone pole," Hall said. "Thank goodness it hit the phone pole because it slowed him down, because I think he would have came up even further."

According to Newberry County deputies, the truck carried approximately 7,000 gallons of petroleum, which led to an evacuation of several homes in the area.

"We got ready, grabbed what we could and we got out the door," said Kaye Richardson and her husband Wayne, who live across the street from the incident.

The Richardsons said they spent hours after the accident waiting at the Little Mountain Fire Station for the all-clear to return home, which came close to 6 hours after they left.

'It makes you appreciate being home more," Richardson said. "I'm very proud to go home."

As for the next steps, Newberry County Sheriff Lee Foster said a tarp has been placed on the ground where the soil needs to be removed, and a team will come in and replace the removed soil.

The truck driver was injured and taken to a local hospital.