Area hit with flash flooding

PHOTOGRAPHER: Patrick Dodson

A Central Bridge firefighter helps deploy a hazmat boom in a creek to collect diesel fuel spilled after a tractor-trailer rolled over on Interstate 88 near Exit 23 in Central Bridge during a rainstorm on Friday.

After days of steady rainfall, the Capital Region was hit with flash floods Friday that caused Montgomery County to declare a state of emergency, a woman to possibly go missing in a Saratoga County stream and two tractor-trailers to tip over in Schoharie County, spilling fuel into a nearby stream.

Late Friday night, a Saratoga County dispatcher confirmed that local agencies were gathering to search for a woman they believe got swept away in a stream in the town of Ballston. Few details were available.

At least one person was injured as the result of a tractor-trailer rollover in Schoharie County, a dispatcher said, but they did not know the extent of the injuries. Two tractor-trailers tipped over in the same spot — near Exit 23 of Interstate 88 in the hamlet of Central Bridge — about an hour apart. The first rollover happened shortly before 5 p.m. The second happened shortly after 6 p.m. In both cases, the trucks went down an embankment. The second one spilled fuel into a nearby creek.

The state Department of Environmental Conservation responded to the scene to deploy a buoy into the creek in an attempt to catch the diesel fuel.

The nearly back-to-back incidents prompted a road closure of the westbound lanes of I-88 between Exit 23 (Schoharie) and Exit 24 (Duanesburg). The trucks have since been towed away and the highway reopened.

Meanwhile, Montgomery County declared a state of emergency as it dealt with flooded roads, home evacuations and even a mudslide. It’s unclear when it will be lifted.

The mudslide occurred near Route 67 and McDonald Road in the town of Amsterdam. Route 67 was closed between Fulton-Montgomery Community College and Fort Johnson, said Montgomery County Emergency Management Director Jeffery Smith.

Several other roads were closed Friday night due to flooding, including Argersinger, Brumley, Anderson, Currytown, Lusso and Bordon roads.

Route 5 experienced minor flooding, but remained open.

A home on Noonan Road in the town of Amsterdam partially collapsed and the American Red Cross responded to provide assistance. Five homes were evacuated in the town of Root on Argersinger Road.

The National Weather Service issued flash flood warnings for Montgomery, Saratoga, Herkimer and Fulton counties Friday evening into the early morning hours. After days of steady rainfall, the ground in the region became saturated and caused excessive runoff to flood small creeks, streams, highways, underpasses, country roads and farmlands near creeks.