(NewsNation) — A deadly crash caused hazardous materials to spill onto a Tucson, Arizona, interstate Tuesday, shutting down the highway and prompting evacuations, according to authorities.
The Arizona Department of Public Safety is investigating the accident that happened around 2:45 p.m. Tuesday when a semitrailer rolled over and began to leak nitric acid.
“The commercial vehicle involved in this collision was hauling nitric acid in liquid form,” DPS said. Police initially said the vehicle was a tanker but later corrected it to a “truck tractor pulling a box trailer.”
Police said the driver of the truck is dead but did not offer further details.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nitric acid (HNO₃) is a colorless liquid with yellow or red fumes and 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,” the CDC website reads.
The spill forced the closure of Interstate 10 in both directions between Rita and Kolb Road. Police expect the closure to impact the Wednesday morning commute.
Authorities asked people within a half-mile around the incident to evacuate.
A shelter-in-place order that was issued for everyone within a one-mile radius was lifted late Tuesday night.
