Tanker spills 20,000 litres of diesel on Hwy. 401 near Newcastle

A 62-year-old man faces a careless driving charge after his tanker truck carrying diesel fuel crashed on the eastbound Highway 401 at Highway 115 in the Newcastle area.

The tractor-trailer hauling two tankers hit a bridge and overturned into a ditch just after 2 a.m. on Tuesday.

The impact of the crash ripped open the tankers, with one tank spilling around 20,000 litres of diesel, some of it flowing into Wilmot Creek.

The driver of the truck suffered minor injuries.

Road crews are cleaning up the spill, and Ontario Provincial Police say the cleanup is expected to take most of the day.

Officials with the Ministry of Environment will be examining the spill in the creek.

Ministry of Transportation officials are also heading to the scene to evaluate how much damage has been done to the bridge.

All eastbound lanes of Highway 401 were closed from Highway 115-35 east to Mill Street in Newcastle, but one lane has since reopened.

Meanwhile, in a separate incident, a driver escaped with only minor injuries after his car smashed into the back of a tractor-trailer, which had pulled over in the westbound lanes of Highway 401 at Meadowvale Road, around 2:30 a.m.

Emergency crews had to cut the man out of his vehicle.

He suffered hand and shoulder injuries.