Tamiami Trail crash prompts road closure after fuel spill

A traffic crash that resulted in a fuel spill from a tractor-trailer on Wednesday night prompted an hours-long closure of U.S. 41’s northbound lanes near Central Sarasota Parkway, the Florida Highway Patrol said.

No one was injured in the crash that took place around 8 p.m.

The Highway Patrol reported a tractor-trailer was driving north on U.S. 41 approaching Club Drive when it left the road and struck a metal street sign in the median separating northbound and southbound lanes. The impact with the sign tore open fuel tanks on the truck, which spilled diesel fuel on the roadway as the rig returned to the pavement.

In addition to FHP, personnel from Sarasota Fire-Rescue and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection also responded to the scene because of the large amount of fuel that was spilled.

Southbound traffic was not affected, but the roadway was closed for hours. Traffic was detoured around the scene to nearby Vamo Road.