A gas tanker crash -- again -- in Everett

(Michael Layhe Sr. for The Boston Globe)

By Kate Augusto, Globe Correspondent

A woman was seriously injured today when a tanker truck carrying gasoline collided with her car at an Everett traffic rotary. It was the second time in recent months a tanker had crashed in the area.

Darcy DeSouza of Lynn was driving on Route 16 at Sweetser Circle at about 10:17 a.m. when she cut off a truck driven by Walter Nutting of Brockton. The truck struck DeSouza's 2001 Hyundai Elantra, causing it to roll over, said Trooper Thomas Murphy, a State Police spokesman.

DeSouza was in serious condition at Massachusetts General Hospital, a hospital spokeswoman said. Nutting was not injured, Murphy said.

There were no significant traffic delays. State police are investigating the crash, he said.

The accident happened near the scene of a crash in December, in which gasoline spilled and ignited two triple-deckers and 21 cars, while miraculously sparing residents from injury or death.

Though no fuel spilled in today’s accident, State Senator Anthony Galluccio, whose district includes Everett, said the accident highlighted the need for new safety measures regarding the tankers.

In the first accident, he said, "almost 10,000 gallons of gasoline spilled and there was a 10-foot wall of fire that continued down into the neighborhood. Today’s accident just demonstrates again that there is a serious likelihood of accidents of this nature and we have to minimize damages that flow from these accidents in every way conceivable.”

Galluccio has worked on a number of bills aiming increase tanker safety, including one that would require trucks carrying petroleum and liquefied natural gas to have double-hulled tanks and another that would allow communities to establish safer truck routes.

• Comment
• Permalink
• Email