7 Schools Evacuated After Tanker Crash

AVON, Ind. -- A quarter-mile area and seven schools were evacuated as a precaution Thursday morning after a tanker truck dumped jet fuel when it flipped on its side near a train in eastern Hendricks County.

The crash happened before 8 a.m. on State Road 267, near Rockville Road. State Road 267 was closed for several hours.

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Schools Evacuated After Tanker Crash, Spill
Images: Crash Involves Train, Tanker

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Students were evacuated from White Oak, Maple, Hickory and Cedar elementary schools, Avon Intermediate East and West and Avon Middle School.

White Oak and Maple students were taken to Kingsway Christian Church. Avon Intermediate East students went to Avon High School's auxiliary gym. Avon Intermediate West students were taken to Sycamore Elementary School. Hickory and Cedar students were transported to Pine Tree Elementary and Avon Middle School students were taken to Avon High School's main gym.

Avon Community School Corp. officials canceled afternoon kindergarten and preschool classes for all of its schools.

"As it unfolded, we determined that we did need to evacuate the students in the immediate area," said Margaret Hoernemann, Avon schools' associate superintendent. "With the cooperation of our students, our staff and particularly our transportation department, we were able to evacuate seven buildings and over 4,500 students."

The tanker did not collide with the train but flipped when its wheels went into a ditch as the driver tried to turn around to avoid waiting on the slow-moving train.

Fire officials loaded leftover fuel onto another truck Thursday afternoon. The potential for a fire or explosion caused fire officials to order the evacuations.

"We had ethyl alcohol eight cars away. If it were to catch fire, that would be a major concern," said Dave Grider, Indianapolis Fire Department batallion chief.

Some homes and a bus barn were initially evacuated in the area because of concern about fumes. No injuries were reported.