Residents of Watthana Nakhon district of Sa Kaeo province rushed to collect leaking diesel fuel from a tanker truck that slid off the road and overturned on Friday morning.
The accident occurred on the Watthana Nakhon – Baan Sae Or in tambon Nong Waeng around 5.30am.
The tanker, carrying 37,000 litres of diesel, skidded off the road and then flipped onto its side, Poonwit Ratthisarn, of Baan Thub Mai police station, said.
The police and rescue workers found the driver still trapped inside the truck's cabin. They helped him out and then rushed him to the local hospital.
The tanker was leaking diesel onto the roadside and people in the area, and drivers of passing vehicles, rushed to fill whatever containers they could lay their hands on with the spilling fuel.
So great was their enthusism for the free fuel, they caused a traffic jam lasting several hours.
Pol Lt Col Poonwit said the tanker belonged to Ruang Anan Ubon Ltd and was delivering diesel from Rayong to Ubon Ratchathani.
The vehicle was finally removed from the scene of the crash and traffic began flowing as normal.