A deadly crash on Interstate 10 on Tucson's southeast side that caused a nitric acid spill on Tuesday afternoon is expected to continue to snarl traffic Wednesday morning, officials said.
The crash forced the closure of I-10 between Kolb and Rita roads on Tuesday, Feb. 14, and the Arizona Department of Public Safety warned that motorists in the area should anticipate disruptions Wednesday morning.
Both directions of traffic near Kolb Road remained closed Wednesday morning as crews continued to deal with the wreckage.
All eastbound traffic was being forced to exit at or before Kolb Road; westbound traffic had to exit at or before Houghton Road, the state Transportation Department said Wednesday morning in a news release.
In addition, the agency said following ramps were closed Wednesday morning:
- Kolb Road (eastbound)
- Houghton Road (westbound)
- Rita Road (westbound)
In Tuesday's crash, a commercial truck hauling liquid nitric acid in a box trailer rolled over on I-10 about 2:45 p.m. near Kolb Road. The driver was killed.
Nitric acid can be used to make ammonium nitrate for fertilizers and in the manufacture of plastics and dyes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says nitric acid is a highly corrosive, colorless liquid with yellow or red fumes and can cause an acrid smell, the Associated Press reported.
Exposure to nitric acid can irritate the eyes, skin, and mucous membranes. Depending on the dosage, it also can also cause delayed pulmonary edema, pneumonitis, bronchitis, and dental erosion, AP reported.
No information about the driver has been released.
Soon after the crash, an emergency alert told people within one mile of the wreck to shelter in place while people within a half-mile were evacuated, the state Department of Public Safety said. The larger affected area was loosely bound by Kolb and Houghton roads between Valencia and Voyager roads.
People also were advised to turn off heaters and air conditioning units that bring in outside air, the alert continued.
Another alert was issued early Wednesday recommending people in the area continue to shelter in place.
Vail schools disrupted
The Vail School District, with campuses in the area, asked parents to pick up children as soon as possible and moved children who were participating in outdoor afterschool activities indoors. On Tuesday night, the district alerted parents that due to the ongoing traffic concerns, school start times and bus routes would be pushed back by two hours on Wednesday.
"We are being told that clean-up is expected to take until roughly 8 a.m. tomorrow morning," Vail Superintendent John Carruth said. "DPS is already warning of disruptions to morning commutes in our area."
Early Wednesday morning, the district announced that classes at five campuses would be canceled completely.
Vail Academy and High School, Cottonwood Elementary, Desert Willow Elementary, Desert Sky Middle and Mesquite Elementary were closed after DPS reissued a shelter in place order at 4:55 a.m. for areas within a one-mile radius of the accident scene.
The district also canceled zero hour classes for high school students, its Vail Inclusive Preschool and Prekindergarten morning sessions at two campuses, and field trips scheduled before 11 a.m.
Despite the late start, school dismissal times will remain the same, afterschool activities will be held and bus routes will run as scheduled, Carruth said.
For more information about the closure and crash, go to azdps.gov/news/ims/92. For more information about the Vail School District's delayed start, go to facebook.com/vailschooldistrict.
The crash, which happened at milepost 272 on Interstate 10 in Tucson, involved a commercial truck that rolled over and leaked nitric acid, according to officials. Video courtesy of SirToppleBot via Twitter.
