Truck Flips On Highway Flyover

A flipped tractor trailer on the Route 17 flyover over Route 287 caused significant traffic back-ups during Thursday’s ride home, Mahwah Police Chief Jim Batelli said.

According to police, the New York Bituminous Products Corporation truck flipped at about 2 p.m. Thursday when a fifth wheel disengaged from the tractor-trailer and partially came off. The malfunction was likely caused by a “load shift,” of the large generator that was being towed in the back of the trailer, Batelli said.

The accident resulted in a fuel spill that was cleaned up by Mahwah’s Haz Mat crew, Assistant Fire Chief Brad Stio said. About 15 gallons of fuel was spilled onto the roadway, he said. The spill was completely cleaned by about 3 p.m., Stio said.

The detaching wheel is “not uncommon,” Batelli said, and could have been brought on by “a variety of causes,” including the driver’s speed, approach to the turn, or improper securing of the truck’s load.

The accident was still being cleared at about 4:55 p.m., with several lanes remaining partially closed. The cleanup was “expected to complicate commuting times,” Batelli said.

The accident did not result in any injuries or any contamination, authorities said.

Mahwah Fire Company 2, Company 4, Mahwah Police, and state police forces responded to the scene of the accident.

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