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Oil spill In Bethlehem, nearby homes evacuated

An overturned tanker truck leaking gasoline and diesel fuel at Paul Avenue and Union Boulevard caused the evacuation of hundreds of nearby homes just after 2 a.m. Thursday.

Bethlehem Fire Chief Warren Achey in a release reported no injuries or property damage, and emergency services, including city and Lehigh County HazMat teams as well as a hazardous waste company were deployed to manage the spill.

Residents were offered shelter at Nitschmann middle school, Bethlehem Area School District officials having delayed classes to accommodate the emergency, and the Red Cross responded with food and coffee supplied by a local Wawa market. Red Cross Pa. Rivers Chapter Executive Director Peter Brown said shifts of staff and volunteers will be present throughout the day.

“We’ll rely on updates from emergency management ... but we’ll be here as long as we need to be.”

Residents can contact the City of Bethlehem Public Safety Center, 610-865-7000, to verify when it is safe to return to their homes.