In the wake of a California tanker truck accident over the weekend, ethanol industry representatives are stressing the importance of transportation safety.

The driver of a tanker truck hauling 8,000 gallons of ethanol on a highway in Long Beach was killed Saturday when the truck hit a guard rail and exploded into flames. Officials with the Renewable Fuels Association say the tragedy “refocuses attention on safety procedures and protocols with respect to various transportation fuels, including fuel ethanol.”

“While tragedies such as the one in California do happen, transportation of ethanol and other flammable materials is extraordinarily safe,” said RFA Communications Director Matt Hartwig. “Safety is the top priority of this industry and it is a responsibility we take very seriously.”

Hartwig says the Ethanol Emergency Response Coalition (EERC) has developed a wide array of safety information specifically related to ethanol production and ethanol-blended fuels that detail safety procedures and protocols to be followed to prevent accidents and to respond in the event of a spill or fire. EERC was formed by RFA in cooperation with the federal government, the International Association of Fire Chiefs, pipeline and transportation companies, and firefighting technology providers.