Accidental overturns of fuel tankers can have, depending on soil types, severe consequences. This applies, particularly in areas of shallow soils where the groundwater is located 2-4 m below the ground surface. By rapid, vacuum extraction based recovery emergency services, which would normally be the first to arrive on the scene, could minimize consequences of fresh fuel spills and even prevent groundwater contamination, the primary purpose of emergency response. Powerful vacuum extraction-based response (PER), equipment has been developed to recover freshly spilt volatile fuels from the soil, primary by emergency services, but also by other trained responders. The main components of mobile PER-equipment are perforated extraction pipes, a recovery vacuum tank, a vacuum pump and an incinerator. The PER-equipment has been tested in summer and sub-zero winter conditions, and in both cases 50-80% of fresh gasoline spilled into sandy soil was recovered during the first 2 h of operation. Gasoline was recovered in both liquid and vapor form, and hydrocarbon vapors were destroyed by controlled incineration at a safe distance from the spill. Recovery of less volatile diesel oil is not so effective from the sandy soil, but about 30% of it could be pumped from a fresh pool directly after a seepage time of 15 min. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.