ST. CLAIRSVILLE — Maynard Road was closed Tuesday night after a vehicle accident, and first responders advised residents of the area to evacuate due to a hazardous materials leak resulting from the crash.

The Belmont County Sheriff’s Department announced shortly before 7 p.m. Tuesday that County Road 56 was closed between Ohio 9 and Kagg Hill Road.

Cumberland Trail Fire District Assistant Chief Daniel Grady was stationed at the turn onto Maynard Road, warning drivers away with his vehicle’s flashing lights. He gave some information from the scene.

“We had a truck that was carrying propane that crashed and does have a small leak. We spoke with the company, and they advised as a precaution to evacuate an area up to a half a mile,” he said. “It just went off the roadway and damaged its tank.”

Grady said first responders were waiting for a second propane tanker to come to the scene and offload the contents of the truck that crashed. Grady believed the tanker was carrying 26,000 gallons of propane.

He noted that no injuries resulted from the crash.

Grady said first responders went to 50 residences in the surrounding area and advised people of the recommended precaution to evacuate, though he did not know how many people actually left their homes.

“The city of St. Clairsville opened up the (J.B. Martin) Rec Center for anybody who didn’t have anywhere to go,” Grady said.

At 8 p.m. Grady said he expected it to take about two hours for the second tanker to arrive and an additional three to four hours for the offloading to be accomplished.

He said in addition to Cumberland Trail, the Belmont County Sheriff’s Department, county Emergency Management Agency, Ohio State Highway Patrol and Richland Township Police Department were involved in the response.

The recreation center had been locked up again shortly before 9 p.m. Mayor Kathryn Thalman said she had spoken to Cumberland Trail Fire Chief Tim Hall, who told her everyone who evacuated went either to relatives’ homes or to the Ohio Valley Mall.

“Everybody was taken care of, but we were there, open,” she said, adding they were told by Hall the recreation center was open and staffer Eric Timko was on hand. “He had tables and chairs set up if anybody wanted to come in and hang out until they got that resolved.”

Thalman said she had gotten an update from Hall, who told her the latest they would need to evacuate was 9 p.m. or 9:30 p.m.

“Fortunately, no one needed to go to the rec center, but yes, we were available to them,” Thalman said. “If they need us again, we’ll be there.”