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Homes evacuated, roads closed for hours after fuel tanker flips on Detroit's southwest side

Driver uninjured

DETROIT – A driver is OK after the fuel tanker he was driving flipped over on its side Saturday morning in Detroit.

Fuel spilled out of the truck, forcing crews to shut down the intersection of Fort Street and Oakland Boulevard and evacuate homes nearby.

Gallons of gas spilled out onto the side of the truck. Fire officials say a man was driving the truck when it somehow flipped over on its side.

“I was drinking coffee at my kitchen table this morning and the whole house shook,” said William Keller.

Keller said he wasn’t sure what was going on at first.

“After I heard, a couple of sirens go by, I started investigating a little bit and then I looked out and seen a cop car out here and started walking around outside and seen the tanker flipped over,” Keller said.

Police evacuated several homes and blocked off roads for hours.

“It was leaking fuel and we stopped the leak, and the company came out and they’re transferring the fuel from one tanker to the other,” Fire Chief Todd Fugiel said.

Police are still investigating what made the tanker flip, but Keller says he has an idea.

“These guys come hauling around through here. It’s 35 mph, but I bet you they do about 45-50, almost all day, coming on down through here,” he said.

Emergency crews wouldn’t confirm if the driver was speeding.