Evacuation, Shelter-In-Place Orders Issued After Deadly Crash Spills Nitric Acid on Arizona Freeway

Officials in southern Arizona have issued evacuation and shelter-in-place orders after a truck carrying hazardous chemicals overturned on a local freeway.

The Arizona Department of Public Safety (AZDPS) closed a portion of Interstate 10 on Tuesday after a tractor trailer hauling nitric acid rolled over and began leaking the caustic material.

The driver of the leaking truck died at the scene, according to a series of statements from AZDPS. An investigation into the collision is ongoing.

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An evacuation order was issued for the half-mile perimeter around the crash site, while those within a mile were told to shelter in place.

Those within the one-mile perimeter were advised to turn off any heaters or air conditioning units "that bring in outside air" until further notice.

Tucson Fire Department Twitter

The shelter-in-place order was temporarily lifted Tuesday evening, but reinstated early Wednesday following "temporary setbacks" in the recovery and mitigation efforts overnight "due to weather conditions," according to authorities.

The AZDPS said "gassing occurred" as crews tried to remove the hazardous load from the overturned truck.

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Tucson Fire Department Twitter

"Crews have now removed the material from the truck and are utilizing dirt to mitigate further off gassing," the department said Wednesday morning.

The new shelter-in-place order was extended to a three-mile perimeter around the incident location, and those who evacuated were told to stay out of the area.

Officials asked people to turn off their heaters and air conditioners again, as well.

Arizona Department of Public Safety

"Unified Command will actively monitor within these boundaries to ensure public safety and assess the need for possible changes to existing evacuations and shelter-in-place orders," the AZDPS said.

Motorists have been told to avoid the area as officials "anticipate an extensive closure" of the roadway, the AZDPS said.

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Nitric acid is colorless as a liquid, but creates red or yellow fumes "with an acrid odor" when it becomes a gas, according to the United States' Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It is often used to make fertilizers, dyes and explosives.

Exposure to the "highly corrosive" compound can lead to irritated eyes, skin, and mucous membranes and breathing problems such as delayed pulmonary edema, pneumonitis and bronchitis, the CDC said.

Arizona Department of Public Safety

The situation in southern Arizona is the second spill of dangerous chemicals in the U.S. in recent weeks.

Earlier this month, residents of East Palestine, Ohio, and the surrounding area were evacuated after a train carrying various hazardous materials derailed in the small town.

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Investigators later determined the train, operated by Norfolk Southern, was carrying chemicals such as vinyl chloride, butyl acrylate, ethylhexyl acrylate and isobutylene, according to NPR.

However, officials originally insisted that the water and air in the area were safe, despite conducting a controlled release of the chemicals in the same space.