Crews work to clean up a fuel spill in Hancock after a tanker overturned Thursday morning. (Garrett Neese/Daily Mining Gazette photo)

HANCOCK — A fuel tanker overturned on Santori’s Corner in Hancock this morning, spilling thousands of gallons of fuel and closing a section of U.S. 41 for hours.

The crash was reported at 8:11 a.m., said Hancock Cpl. Jeremy Lassila. There were no injuries, said Hancock Lt. David Outinen. Speed is believed to be a factor.

The entire Portage Canal, including public access beaches and boat launches, were temporarily closed as of Thursday afternoon, the Western Upper Peninsula Health Department announced in a health advisory today.

The main public safety risk is exposure to benzene either from inhalation or direct contact, the WUPHD said in the advisory. The public should avoid the affected area and any recreational use of the Portage Canal until the advisory is lifted.

“People and pets should avoid direct body contact and avoid swallowing lake water in this vicinity, especially if fuel is visible on the water surface,” the advisory stated. “Do not use surface water for any drinking water purposes. If you smell fuel, move away from the area.”

The WUPHD issued the advisory in conjunction with the Environment Protection Agency and Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy.

The tanker was not fully loaded, Lassila said. Reports on how much fuel was in the tanker varied from 7,000 to 8,500 gallons. It was not immediately known how much had spilled

Residents nearby the corner were evacuated because of safety concerns. A shelter was set up at the Church of the Resurrection in Hancock.

U.S. 41 is closed between White Street and Quincy Street. Outinen said it could be several hours until traffic resumes. Crews were on scene in the hours after the fire spraying the area with foam and covering it with sand.