WINCHENDON — A crash involving an Amazon delivery truck and an SUV early Wednesday morning on Spring Street prompted a significant hazardous materials response after a compressed natural gas (CNG) tank detached from the truck and spilled gas onto the roadway.
According to the Winchendon Fire Department, a 911 call came in around 5:17 a.m. reporting a multi-vehicle accident near 560 Spring Street, between Glenallen Street and Route 140. Emergency crews arrived to find that an SUV had collided with a CNG-powered Amazon delivery truck, causing the truck’s fuel tank to dislodge and spill gas onto the roadway.
“A car came into our lane and hit us head-on, and the gas leaked everywhere,” the Amazon truck driver Jerrell Lopes told WHDH. Lopes, who was only on his second day on the job, added: “As soon as he hit and I got out, it was just a whole trail of gas.”
Fire crews on scene with the CNG powered Amazon delivery truck involved in an accident in Winchendon on Aug. 28, 2024. (Photo Credit: Winchendon Fire Department) 
Image from the scene of the CNG powered Amazon delivery truck accident in Winchendon on Aug. 28, 2024. (Photo Credit: Winchendon Fire Department) 
The CNG powered Amazon delivery truck involved in an accident in Winchendon on Aug. 28, 2024. (Photo Credit: Winchendon Fire Department)
The Winchendon Fire Department immediately called in additional resources, including the District 6 HazMat Team through Fitchburg Mid-State Control. As the situation escalated, a Tier 2 hazmat response was initiated, bringing in specialized units from District 4 HazMat as well as the Department of Fire Services, including Massachusetts State Fire Marshal Jon Davine. Drones and a robot were deployed by State Police to capture images of the tank and assist in assessing the scene.
Fire Chief Thomas Smith emphasized the potential danger of the incident, explaining that such a crash could easily have led to an explosion. “Normally, something of that nature upon impact would have exploded. This didn’t, which is good for both drivers and occupants,” Smith told WHDH.
Hazmat crews, along with experts from Xpress Natural Gas (XNG) in Andover, MA, and other agencies, worked throughout the day to safely secure and remove the tank. They carefully disconnected the pressure lines from the CNG tank, which allowed for the tank to be loaded onto a trailer and then transported to a location where HazMat crews could vent the CNG tank safely.
The driver of the SUV was taken to Heywood Hospital with minor injuries, while Lopes and his passenger were uninjured.
The road remained closed for about 10 hours and 33 minutes as crews worked to contain the gas leak and ensure the area was safe. It was reopened around 3:50 p.m.
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