A truck overturned on Interstate 10 in Tucson, Arizona, releasing a cloud of nitric acid and issuing an evacuation order to nearby residents, officials say. Multiple locations have been evacuated.
The accident occurred around 3:00 pm Tuesday afternoon near the Colb Road exit on I-10, about 10 miles southeast of downtown Tucson, when the truck entered the median and rolled over.
When paramedics rushed to the scene, they saw red/orange smoke billowing from the truck.
The Pima County Department of Environmental Quality said the crash released nitric acid, which could pose health problems for those exposed.
“Nitric acid (HNO3) is a colorless liquid with a pungent odor and yellow or red smoke,” says the CDC. “Exposure to nitric acid can be irritating to the eyes, skin, and mucous membranes. It can also cause delayed pulmonary edema, pneumonia, bronchitis, and tooth erosions.”
Interstate 10 is closed in both directions near Milepost 272 (Colbrough Road) and people within a 1-mile radius are told to evacuate in place. Science & Tech Park was told to evacuate.
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