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Tractor trailer carrying silt overturns, power lines down

About 7 a.m. this morning emergency responders were called to Pine Creek Drive, SR-54, just past Hometown toward Barnesville (next to the old Seitz Brothers Exterminating) in response to an overturned tractor trailer leaking diesel fuel. The tractor trailer, which was carrying black silt, overturned rounding a curve while driving east on SR-54. This also snapped a utility pole causing the power lines to come down. This was the second tractor trailer hauling silt to overturn at this location in the past week. The other tractor trailer overturned last Wednesday. Both drivers took the curve in the road too fast causing both of their rigs to overturn spilling their load of black silt onto the side of the road. The drivers of both trucks escaped injury. Hope's Towing and Collision had the tough task of clearing the scene and had to use various types of heavy equipment to lift the trailers back upright. Rush Township Police, Hometown Fire Company, and other services responded. Coaldale, Ryan Township, Hometown, and Tamaqua were called in to redirect traffic around a three-mile stretch of SR-54 for a number of hours during the cleanup.

ANDREW LEIBENGUTH/SPECIAL TO THE TIMES NEWS