PORT ANGELES — Police suspect that a mechanical failure caused a log truck to break apart and spill its haul in front of the Westport Shipyard building in Port Angeles on Thursday afternoon.
The driver, Paul Halencak, 57, of Port Angeles, was not injured, said Officer Whitney Fairbanks of the Port Angeles Police Department.
No other vehicles were involved in the spill on Marine Drive, and no Westport workers or pedestrians were hurt.
“We are very lucky there were no injuries,” Fairbanks said.
Halencak was turning left from Tumwater Truck Route onto Marine Drive at about 2:58 p.m. when the rear wheel assembly detached from the rest of the 2005 Dilley and Soloman Logging Co. truck, Fairbanks said.
“Right now, it looks like a mechanical failure,” she said.
“It appeared the back trailer broke off and went through the fence at Westport.”
Westport was evacuated because of concern that a nearby propane tank had been struck. Production was shut down for the rest of the day.
Police determined that the propane tank had not been hit. A utility pole was damaged.
Marine Drive was closed between Tumwater Truck Route and Tumwater Street.
“Right now, we are clearing up the roadway and getting everything back into repair,” Fairbanks said at about 4:30 p.m.
The State Patrol was investigating the cause of the suspected mechanical failure, she said.
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 56450, or at rollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
