Arizona officials shut down busy interstate following crash of truck carrying liquid nitric acid

15 February 2023

Less than two weeks after a train containing hazardous materials derailed in Eastern Ohio, a portion of Interstate 10 in Tucson, Arizona was, according to CNN, shut down in response to the crash of a tractor trailer truck that was carrying liquid nitric acid.

On Tuesday, February 14, the Arizona Department of Public Safety announced, on its website, that the problematic area of Interstate 10 was being closed in both directions. And in an early morning update the following day, the agency reported that a “shelter in place order” had been “reinstated” for “a one-mile perimeter around the incident.”

The Arizona Department of Public Safety explained, “While crews were attempting to remove the load from the commercial vehicle, gassing occurred. Interstate 10 remains closed in both directions between Kolb and Rita roads in Tucson. The public should avoid the area, and motorists should seek an alternate route. Unified Command anticipates an extensive closure.”

The agency also reported that the driver of the tractor trailer truck had died in the crash but did not identify the person publicly.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “Nitric acid (HNO₃) is a colorless liquid with yellow or red fumes with an acrid odor. Exposure to nitric acid can cause irritation to the eyes, skin, and mucous membrane; it can also cause delayed pulmonary edema, pneumonitis, bronchitis, and dental erosion. Nitric acid is highly corrosive. Workers may be harmed from exposure to nitric acid. The level of exposure depends upon the dose, duration, and work being done.”

Watch the video below or at this link.

Read CNN’s full report at this link.

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