Tanker overturns near Southern Columbia, spills fuel into drainage ditch

FRANKLIN TWP — Thousands of gallons of fuel gushed from a tanker truck after its driver fell asleep at the wheel and crashed Wednesday morning.

The crash closed a third-of-a-mile stretch of Route 487 from Southern Columbia High School to Hemlock Road for hours while crews cleaned up the flammable mess.

Firefighters were not able to stop the spill, so instead they lined up in a drainage ditch and dug dams in an effort to stop it from reaching a nearby creek.

Police investigate death in Scott Township

SCOTT TOWNSHIP – State and local police are investigating a death in Sherwood Village here.

Several law enforcement and EMS vehicles were on scene throughout Saturday morning at 140 Knights Drive. According to neighbors, police first arrived around 8 a.m.

Columbia County Coroner Jeremy Reese, who was on scene, confirmed that one person was found dead in the house there. 

State Police Cpl. Brian Hook said that a criminal investigation is ongoing, with State Police as the lead investigators, and there is no current threat to the public. 

Benton-area teen dies in morning crash

FISHING CREEK TWP. — A Benton-area teen was killed on his way to Columbia-Montour Vo-Tech on Wednesday morning in a crash along Route 487 just north of the municipal building here.

State Police at Bloomsburg said 17-year-old Brandon Kocher of Stillwater was traveling southbound when his Ford Escape went off the road for unknown reasons and slammed into a tree about 7:40 a.m.

LIVE UPDATES on Election Night 2023

It's a big night tonight for small elections.

Voters are choosing the next county commissioners, school board members, borough and town council members and township supervisors throughout the region. We'll keep tallies here on Tuesday night, updating as election-night results are available after the polls close at 8 p.m.

Here are the races we'll be following. Candidates are listed in the order they appear on the ballot. Winners, according to unofficial results are in bold:

Fatal fire rips through Catawissa home

CATAWISSA — A house fire killed one woman and sent person to the hospital early Saturday morning here. 

The fire started at 319 N. Third St., Catawissa, around 3:20 this morning. The callers to 9-1-1 reported that someone was trapped in the house, and as fires crews arrived, they found a man fighting the fire with a garden hose, according to Catawissa Fire Chief Dale Hendricks.

Geisinger EMS took that man to the hospital. 

Storm knocks out 911 system

BLOOMSBURG – Thunderstorms bringing high winds and heavy rain downed trees across Columbia and Montour counties Thursday, leading to road closures, causing power outages, and knocking the 911 phone system out of service.

Jeremy Brown, Director at East Central Emergency Network, said a fiber optic line was cut somewhere compromising service for Verizon customers in several counties.

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