Head-on wreck, paint spill closes East Pierce County road for ecological clean-up
A head-on collision Monday closed part of East Valley Highway in Sumner.
The wreck happened shortly before 11 a.m. in 1400 block of East Valley Highway. East Pierce Fire & Rescue took one driver to a hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening, city spokesperson Carmen Palmer said.
Paint spilled during the crash required an ecological clean-up, Palmer said. One of the vehicles was driven by a commercial painter who was carrying supplies, she said.
For visual reference, here's a map of the closure. @AuburnWAPolice has East Valley closed to the north, and we have it closed just past Forest Canyon, which is still accessible itself. One vehicle was hauling paint & oil, so this is also an ecological clean-up. pic.twitter.com/2MXc4skw8l
— Sumner, Washington (@CityOfSumnerWA) December 12, 2022
The road was still closed shortly before 1 p.m. Palmer said it wasn’t clear when crews would be able to reopen it, but that she was hopeful they’d be done in time for the evening commute.
The City of Sumner has East Valley Road closed just north of Forest Canyon, Palmer said, and Auburn has it closed further north. The wreck happened just south of the border with Auburn, she said.
Sumner officials plan to send another tweet when the road reopens.
