Current:Home > Stocks5 dead after truck carrying ammonia overturns -FutureFinance
5 dead after truck carrying ammonia overturns
View
Date:2025-04-16 03:38:13
Five people are dead and hundreds of nearby residents were evacuated after a semi-truck carrying a toxic substance overturned in rural Illinois Friday night, officials said.
The incident occurred around 8:40 p.m. local time on U.S. Highway 40 near the village of Teutopolis, authorities said.
A semi-truck transporting anhydrous ammonia rolled over, causing a "large plume cloud of anhydrous ammonia on the roadway that caused terribly dangerous air conditions in the northeast area," Effingham County Sheriff Paul Kuhns told reporters during a Saturday press briefing.
MORE: Truck carrying lemons overturns on New Jersey highway, police say
Five fatalities and "multiple injuries" have been reported, according to the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency. Several vehicles were involved in the crash, state police said.
The semi-truck was carrying approximately 7,500 gallons of anhydrous ammonia at the time of the accident, according to the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency. An estimated 4,000 gallons have been released, it said.
The accident scene was "large" and "complicated," Kuhns said.
"We're still dealing with the crash and the emergency caused by the anhydrous ammonia spill," the sheriff said.
About 500 people have been evacuated in the wake of the crash, with the evacuation zone approximately 2 square miles on the east side of Teutopolis, authorities said. There is no update at this time on when residents will be able to return to their homes.
The ruptured area of the tanker has been patched, which "slowed it down" but did not stop the leak, Teutopolis Fire Protection District Chief Tim McMahon said.
"A contractor hired by the responsible tanker truck is en route to the scene to review the situation and advise on the best plan to safely empty the tanker," the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency said in a statement.
Anhydrous ammonia is a clear, colorless gas that is toxic. Effects of inhalation range from nausea to respiratory tract irritation, depending on the length of exposure, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Drivers are still being kept away from the area amid the cleanup.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation, Acting Lt. Bruce Wagner of the Illinois State Police said.
MORE: How environmental disasters affect ecosystems: Ohio train derailment could affect local ecosystem for years, experts say
The National Transportation Safety Board, in coordination with the Illinois State Police and the Effingham County Sheriff's Department, is sending a team to conduct a safety investigation into the rollover crash, the agency said Saturday. A 15-person team is expected to arrive Saturday evening.
Representatives from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency are also at the scene.
Teutopolis is a small village in Effingham County, located about 92 miles southeast of Springfield, the capital of Illinois.
veryGood! (67)
Related
- Angelina Jolie nearly fainted making Maria Callas movie: 'My body wasn’t strong enough'
- Ohio voters just passed abortion protections. Whether they take effect is now up to the courts
- What's Making Us Happy: A guide to your weekend viewing and listening
- Police identify North Carolina man fatally shot by officer during Thanksgiving traffic stop
- Jorge Ramos reveals his final day with 'Noticiero Univision': 'It's been quite a ride'
- Ohio voters just passed abortion protections. Whether they take effect is now up to the courts
- 4 Black Friday shopping tips to help stretch your holiday budget
- It's the cheapest Thanksgiving Day for drivers since 2020. Here's where gas prices could go next.
- IRS recovers $4.7 billion in back taxes and braces for cuts with Trump and GOP in power
- Gwyneth Paltrow talks menopause and perimenopause: 'It's nothing to be hidden'
Ranking
- New Mexico governor seeks funding to recycle fracking water, expand preschool, treat mental health
- Dolly Parton Dazzles in a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader Outfit While Performing Thanksgiving Halftime Show
- This designer made the bodysuit Beyoncé wears in 'Renaissance' film poster
- Several U.S. service members injured in missile attack at Al-Asad Airbase in Iraq, Pentagon says
- A Mississippi company is sentenced for mislabeling cheap seafood as premium local fish
- Biden tells Americans we have to bring the nation together in Thanksgiving comments
- Mississippi keeps New Year's Six hopes alive with Egg Bowl win vs. Mississippi State
- Ukraine aims a major drone attack at Crimea as Russia tries to capture a destroyed eastern city
Recommendation
Alex Murdaugh’s murder appeal cites biased clerk and prejudicial evidence
Georgia high school baseball player in coma after batting cage accident
Demonstrators block Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York to protest for Palestinians
Dolly Parton, dressed as iconic Dallas Cowboys cheerleader, rocks Thanksgiving halftime
See you latte: Starbucks plans to cut 30% of its menu
Ex-officer Derek Chauvin, convicted in George Floyd’s killing, stabbed in prison, AP source says
The second installment of Sri Lanka’s bailout was delayed. The country hopes it’s coming in December
'Saltburn' ending: Barry Keoghan asked to shoot full-frontal naked dance 'again and again'