By DONNA KENNY KIRWAN

PAWTUCKET — An oil truck crashed into a utility pole and stairs fronting a Mineral Spring Avenue business on Thursday morning, causing a fuel leak and traffic detours.

The truck driver, Michael Paliotti, 48, of Warwick, told police that he was headed west on Mineral Spring Avenue at around 9:49 a.m. when another vehicle cut him off.
He said he swerved to avoid the vehicle and lost control of the truck. He struck and snapped a utility pole on the north side of Mineral Spring Avenue and continued across the road, where his vehicle struck the cement stairs of The Rug Factory at 560 Mineral Spring Ave.
According to police, the truck contained several hundred gallons of heating oil and was leaking diesel fuel into the parking lot.
The Pawtucket Fire department sent several vehicles to the scene to check the safety of the truck and treat the spilled fuel.
A representative from the state Department of Environmental Management was also called to the scene.
Paliotti suffered a small cut to his forward and complained of pain in his right leg. He was transported to the Memorial Hospital for treatment.
Police said there was major damage to the front of the truck.
The oil container had moved off of the frame of the vehicle, so the remaining oil had to be transferred to another vehicle before it was able to be towed.
Western Oil representatives arrived on the scene to transfer the oil, and the truck was then towed.