Fuel truck crash, leak shuts down Spaulding during Monday afternoon rush hour

DOVER - A tanker truck rollover crash on the Spaulding Turnpike on Monday led to a fuel leak and closure of the highway for at least three hours in the vicinity of the accident.

The crash occurred around 5:30 p.m. in the northbound lanes near mile marker 14.9 in Dover.

A preliminary investigation revealed that a 2014 Peterbilt tanker truck operated by Andrew McKenzie, 65, of New Durham, had been traveling along Route 16 north when for reasons that remain under investigation he lost control of the tanker truck.

Subsequently, the truck departed the right shoulder of the highway, veered into the center of the roadway and overturned in the middle of the turnpike. The debris from the collision led to minor damage to a 2016 Ford 150 driven by Kelly Nisbet, 61, of Gilmanton, according to a statement put out Monday by the State Dept. of Safety. Due to the damage to the fuel truck's tank it began to leak diesel fuel on to the roadway and shoulder of the Spaulding Turnpike.

As a result of the crash, McKenzie was transported to a local hospital for treatment of nonlife threatening injuries.

While State Troopers investigated the scene and emergency personnel worked to facilitate the removal of the fuel truck and clean the roadway, the Spaulding Turnpike North was closed at exit 9 in Dover for around three hours. In addition, the right travel lane and breakdown lane remained closed in the immediate area of the crash for an extended period of time.

Multiple other agencies assisted at the scene of the crash to include New Hampshire State Police Troop-G, Dover Police, Dover Fire Rescue, Rochester Fire Department, the New Hampshire Department of Transportation, New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services and Rochester Truck.

Based upon the initial investigation, The fuel truck appears to have suffered a mechanical issue causing McKenzie to lose control.

All aspects of this crash remain under further investigation by Trooper First Class Jon Minnich of New Hampshire State Police Troop A Barracks and Trooper Matthew Bailey of New Hampshire State Police Troop-G. Anyone with information pertaining to this crash is asked to contact Trooper Minnich at Jonathan.D.Minnnich@dos.nh.gov or Trooper Bailey at Matthew.Bailey@dos.nh.gov.