BROOKINGS — A semi’s serious engine trouble ended up causing a spill of about 200 gallons of diesel on Interstate 29 near the bypass on Tuesday night.

According to a release from the Brookings County Sheriff’s Office, a 2012 Freightliner was driving south on I-29 around 7:24 on Tuesday night when its driveshaft became detached. The driveshaft then struck and punctured both fuel tanks on the truck, spilling approximately 200 gallons of fuel before responders could arrive.

Crews from the Brookings Fire Department arrived and contained the spill. According to Chief Pete Bolzer, it was one of the larger spills the department sees.

“We get eight or nine calls like that a year, but one with that much, it’s probably only one or two,” Bolzer said. 

“Despite the amount of diesel, it was a pretty routine call.”

Protocol when hazardous materials are spilled is for the fire department to first contain the leak and stop the spillage, and then divert the material from any potential water sources.

“By the time we got to this one, it had already all leaked out,” Bolzer said.

So the fire department put down absorbent material and then dug some drainage trenches to try to keep the diesel out of a small waterway that feeds into Six Mile Creek.

Once the spill is contained, the fire department files paperwork notifying the South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources about incident. 

The state department then performs follow-up testing and any necessary remediation.

First responders are required to report any hazardous material spill of more than 10 gallons of gasoline or diesel.

The incident remains under investigation by the Brookings County Sheriff’s Office.

Linehan is the Register’s managing editor and welcomes comments at jlinehan@brookingsregister.com.