PORT ANGELES, Wash. — This story was originally posted on MyNorthwest.com
A water advisory for the City of Port Angeles was lifted Sunday evening after a tanker truck rolled into a nearby creek.
The truck went off the road and rolled into Indian Creek at U.S. 101 at milepost 238 on Friday, around 11 a.m., the Washington State Patrol reported via X. The driver was transported to a nearby hospital as a precaution.
Petroleum leaked out of the truck and into the creek until it was emptied and removed by Washington State Department of Ecology crews Saturday morning.
The road by Indian Creek was fully blocked from Friday until Saturday morning.
WSP later reported that the driver was doing OK, but that the main concern was the leaking tanker.
#Update: Tanker truck spill update and yes the driver is doing ok. Our number 1 concern now is the leaking oil into the river. pic.twitter.com/d6O1ZtQQA0
— Trooper Katherine Weatherwax (@wspd8pio) July 19, 2025
Although Ecology removed the truck, it continued to track the effects of the pollution.
“With the potential for additional release eliminated, current operations are focused on minimizing environmental impacts through fuel recovery and environmental assessments,” Ecology stated on its website. “Cleanup contractors are placing containment boom, replacing sorbent materials, and identifying areas where fuel can be recovered.”
However, officials are still monitoring the impact on wildlife, noting that people can report oiled animals to 1-800-22-BIRDS.
City of Port Angeles shuts down Elwha River drinking water intake
As a precaution, the City of Port Angeles temporarily shut down the Elwha River drinking water intake on Saturday and reopened it on Sunday.
Ecology stated it was continuing to clean up the fuel site on Sunday morning.
This story was originally published on July 18, 2025. It has been updated and republished since then.
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