Driver dies after fertilizer tanker overturns

SHARON TWP.: The driver of a tanker truck carrying a hazardous material died Monday after his vehicle crashed, spilling small amounts of the chemical fertilizer

Philip Linden, 75, died at the scene when his 2005 Mack truck went off the side of the road, flipped and caught fire, authorities said

Linden, a co-owner and founder of Linden Propane Inc. in LaGrange Township, was delivering a 6,000-gallon load of anhydrous ammonia to a Sharon Township farm whose application to hold the chemical has sparked community outrage

State Highway Patrol troopers said the tanker truck was heading south on Beach Road about noon when the vehicle overturned near Ridgewood Road

Small amounts of anhydrous ammonia, a source of agricultural nitrogen that is often used as a fertilizer, leaked from the tanker

The farming chemical was the source of angst among dozens of residents who have objected over the past several months after the state approved a 12,000-gallon tank on a Beach Road farm

The chemical becomes a toxic gas when released into the environment, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Cleanup was continuing late
Monday and traffic was detoured around the area as local police, firefighters and hazardous materials workers converged on the scene

Several homes were evacuated and residents were offered temporary shelter by Sharon Center United Methodist Church. There were no reports of injuries to civilians

State approval of the tank drew complaints last month during a meeting between more than 250 residents and a contingent of local and state government officials

Residents voiced concerns about the hazards posed in the event of a leak. The Ohio Department of Agriculture granted the application for the tank, which was submitted by F. Bruce Simmons III of South Spring Farms on Beach Road

State Rep. William Batchelder, R-Medina, said Monday that outdated statutes allowed approval of the application

He said he intends to work with other state leaders to update the statute to take in account denser populations in areas once considered rural. Lawmakers have not adjusted the statute since 1978

There are 198 similar tanks for storing anhydrous ammonia that have been approved in Ohio, according to state officials

Matt Beal of the state Agriculture Department said last month that Simmons' application met current standards and there were no legal grounds to deny construction of the tank

Exposure to anhydrous ammonia can cause burning sensations to the eyes, nose and throat

Batchelder said a balanced statute must be undertaken among state leaders in Columbus. Farming remains the state's second-largest industry, he said

''Obviously, we don't want to driver farmers out, but at the same time, we don't want them to create a health hazard,'' Batchelder said. Need to know more about rainwater tanks victoria?

Phil Trexler can be reached at 330-996-3717 or ptrexler@thebeaconjournal.com