Concrete sealer spill on SE Bend street prompts careful clean-up

A five-gallon bucket of concrete sealer fell off a vehicle and began to leak on a southeast Bend street Monday afternoon, prompting a call to a hazardous material team to ensure proper clean-up of the material.

A passer-by who reported the spill on Wilson Avenue at Fourth Street said it smelled like benzene, and “the material is moderately combustible and a biological irritant,” said Bend Fire Battalion Chief Dave Howe.

The Salem HazMat Team recommended using an absorbent to clean the material off the street, Howe said, adding that “possibly four gallons spilled” from an unknown vehicle.

The battalion chief noted it’s common for people to be unaware when something falls off the back of their truck, and reminded people to ensure all items are securely fastened or contained in a truck or other vehicle.

Motorists who see a container has fallen into a street that is leaking should not drive through the spilled material, which could spread it farther and make clean-up more difficult, as well as be hazardous.

Bend police and street departments assisted with traffic control and cleanup, Howe said.