TUCSON, Arizona – Both directions of Interstate 10 remained closed in parts of Arizona after a fatal rollover of a tractor trailer caused a dangerous chemical spill Wednesday afternoon.
Authorities ordered a three-mile shelter on Wednesday morning, according to the Arizona Department of Public Safety. The agency lifted the shelter-in-place order on Tuesday night, but reverted the one-mile perimeter order early Wednesday after a gassing occurred while crew members attempted to remove the cargo, which then expanded the perimeter. .
Those within half a mile of the crash were evacuated Tuesday and are expected to remain evacuated until around noon Wednesday, security officials said.
the driver of The truck carrying the box trailer died some time after the accident.
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The Tucson Fire Department tweeted that the toxic substance was nitric acid. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention describes it as a highly corrosive substance that can irritate skin, eyes, and mucous membranes when exposed.
Nitric acid is used in the production of ammonium nitrate for fertilizers and in the production of plastics and dyes.
On Wednesday, drivers were asked to find another route and were ordered to turn off heaters or air-conditioning systems that draw air from outside, authorities said.
The Vail School District on Wednesday canceled schools on five campuses and suspended bus service to areas affected by the shelter-in-place orders.
The Pima County Sheriff’s Department instructed all employees at the University of Arizona Tech Park on Tuesday to evacuate, according to the University Police Department.
The Arizona Department of Public Safety said Wednesday that weather conditions overnight delayed the retrieval and mitigation of hazardous materials. The crew removed material from the tractor’s trailer, using dirt to alleviate further gassing.
Authorities have yet to reveal the cause of the crash.
A train derailment in Ohio last week forced an evacuation after a hazardous materials team burned a tanker filled with PVC, releasing hydrogen chloride and the toxic gas phosgene into the air, causing a chemical fire. I was. Ohio’s evacuation was lifted after officials determined air quality was safe.
Contributed by Associated Press
