Times Observer photo by Brian Ferry Asphalt continues to leak out of a tanker in the parking lot of Station 61 Family Restaurant Thursday morning. Officials estimate 1,000 gallons were leaked, but contained, before the contents of the tanker were transferred to another truck.

A tanker truck hauling asphalt from Warren to Mercer sprang a leak while the driver was at a Youngsville restaurant Thursday morning.

According to Warren County Public Safety Director Ken McCorrison, the driver for Russell Standard, after loading up about 4,500 gallons of asphalt from United Refinery in Warren Thursday morning, pulled the truck into a parking area behind Station 61 Family Restaurant and went inside.

Someone saw material leaking from the belly of the trailer and told the driver, who was still inside, McCorrison said, or “he wouldn’t have known.”

The trailer was visibly leaking from multiple points, with viscous, black fluid pouring out.

An emergency call went out shortly before 9 a.m.

Youngsville Volunteer Fire Department, Youngsville Borough Department of Public Works, Warren County Department of Public Safety, Warren County All Hazards Team, Brokenstraw Township, Pennsylvania State Police, and Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection responded to the scene.

Responders created an earthen dam with dirt brought by the department of public works, containing the spill to an area somewhat larger than the truck.

“These guys showed up to help and they did a great job,” Youngsville Volunteer Fire Department Chief Vern Edmisten said.

By about 10:30 a.m. the spill involved about 400 gallons of asphalt, according to Edmisten.

The company called in a second tanker to pump out the leaking vehicle and a clean-up team for the site, according to McCorrison.

The second truck arrived around 10:45 a.m. and the pumping process began after 11 a.m. That process was expected to take at least 30 minutes.

The pool of black fluid continued to grow and Edmisten estimated a total of 1,000 gallons of material would have leaked out of the trailer by the time the trailer was emptied.