By
The Associated Press
A portion of the main highway that cuts through the southern Arizona desert and links the state's two largest cities remains closed outside Tucson Wednesday morning, a day after a deadly crash caused a hazardous material leak. and forced to evacuate the vicinity.
Residents within a one-mile (800-meter) radius of the crash on Interstate 10 southeast of Tucson have been ordered to leave, and those within a 3-mile (4.8-kilometer) radius have been told to stay away. shelter-in-place after it was determined there was a
leak of liquid nitric acid
from the tractor truck pulling a box trailer, the Arizona Department of Public Safety reported.
The
acid shot eerie yellow and red columns
onto the paved road that cut through dry, scrub-dotted terrain.
[Toxic substances spilled in Ohio after train accident worry residents who have seen birds and thousands of fish die]
A one-mile shelter-in-place order was lifted Tuesday night, but authorities reinstated it Wednesday morning, saying more nitric acid had been released as crews tried to remove the cargo and subsequently They expanded the perimeter.
Evacuations in Arizona after the spill of a dangerous acid during a traffic accident
Feb 15, 202300:30
Authorities asked area residents to turn off heating and air conditioning systems that bring in outside air.
The area would be monitored to assess the need for possible changes to these orders, authorities said, noting that evacuees should expect to be displaced until noon.
Weather temporarily prevented hazardous materials recovery and mitigation efforts overnight.
However, authorities on Wednesday morning reported that the material had been removed from the truck and crews were using soil to prevent further release of nitric acid.
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The truck driver was killed, the department said, but few other details were released.
They talk about a "prolonged closure"
The agency warned motorists in the Tucson area to anticipate impacts on their Wednesday morning commute on and around I-10.
“This will be a prolonged shutdown,” he said on Twitter on Tuesday night.
The University of Arizona Technology Park was one of the evacuated areas.
Some schoolchildren at Rita Ranch were among those who sheltered in place, the Arizona Daily Star newspaper reported. Authorities canceled classes at several nearby schools Wednesday.
Nitric acid is used to make ammonium nitrate for fertilizers and in the manufacture of plastics and dyes.
An accident involving a commercial tanker truck that caused a hazardous material leak on Interstate 10 outside of Tucson, Ariz., on Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2023. Arizona Department of Public Safety via AP
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website, nitric acid is a highly corrosive, colorless liquid with yellow or red vapors and can give off a pungent odor.
Exposure to nitric acid can irritate the eyes, skin and mucous membranes.
Depending on the time and amount of exposure, it can also cause delayed pulmonary edema, pneumonitis, bronchitis, and dental erosion.
The Pima County Health Department and Poison Control Center recommended Wednesday that anyone who may have been in contact with the gas for more than 15 minutes get a medical evaluation if they develop breathing difficulties such as wheezing or difficulty breathing. breathe.
They said symptoms could be delayed for up to 24 hours after exposure.
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Feb 15, 202300:28
Health authorities noted that some people living within a one-mile (1.6 km) radius of the accident may have been exposed to the material for more than 15 minutes if the building in which they were sheltering used an air conditioner or a heater drawing air from outside.
But they claimed that the people who simply drove through the accident and chemical plume should not have been affected.
This dangerous accident comes as Ohioans continue to raise concerns about the release of toxic chemicals aboard a freight train that derailed on February 3, wrecking 50 cars.
There were no injuries, but the authorities ordered the evacuation of the area.
Residents are concerned about the possible health consequences of the wreckage