Hydraulic Fluid Leak on Route 142 in Bethlehem

This is a developing story. Details are preliminary and subject to change as more information becomes available.

At approximately 2:47 PM, emergency dispatchers received reports of a maroon tractor trailer hauling an excavator leaking hydraulic fluid on a bridge near Main Street in Bethlehem. The driver was pulling over, and fluid sprayed across the road, making it slippery. Damage to the bridge was also reported. Responding units requested the fire department and notified the New Hampshire Department of Transportation.

Subsequent reports indicate the vehicle stopped at mile marker 31.8 on Route 142, with the mess extending from the bridge into Maine. Bethlehem Fire Department units, including Engine 2, responded to the scene, where police had already arrived. The area was described as quite slippery due to the spill.

At approximately 3:11 PM, additional units including Central Engine 2 were dispatched. Maple Street was reported to be not significantly affected. By 3:22 PM, crews confirmed they were on scene and assessing the situation.

At approximately 3:26 PM, a Franconia officer reported taking pictures of the bridges and sharing them with the Bethlehem officer. The New Hampshire Department of Transportation is sending an engineer to inspect the bridge. The intersection of Route 302 and Route 142 was reported to be very slick. By 3:38 PM, crews were on scene spreading speedy dry near the area of Route 142 and Main Street (Route 302).

Photo: Sarah Larson from Ann Arbor, MI, USA (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0). Photo is illustrative and not from the scene.