Latex paint spill leaves highway painted blue

ERJ staff report (BC)

Westchester, New York – A five-mile stretch of Interstate Highway 287 was left a vibrant shade of sky blue for several days after a truck spilled latex paint, reports Mark Lungariello of Westfair Online.

The spill is reported to have taken place in the early morning hours of 31 August. The New York State Thruway Authority said several cars received unwanted paint jobs as a result, although the exact number of vehicles damaged wasn’t available.

The authority expected the trucking company or its insurer to pay for the damage. Since latex paint dries quickly, no cleanup was necessary, the authority said. The paint is reported as still visible on the five-mile stretch, but has mostly faded.

An Old Dominion Trucking tractor trailer hauling cans of paint was the culprit, though state police said it wasn’t clear what caused the leak. Stacked cans in the back of the truck popped open or broke for an unknown reason and spilled paint onto the floor of the trailer. The paint accumulated in the trailer then flowed out from under the back door in a smooth, even coat.

A state police spokesman said the driver noticed the spill after several miles, pulled to the side of the highway and called police to file a report.

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Full story from Westfair Online