Hazmat Incident On Mcbrien Road Sparks Interstate Shutdown, Evacuations

A hazmat incident in Chattanooga sparked a massive response by public safety agencies and evacuations. At 9:09 PM on Thursday (8/3/23), Fire, EMS, and law enforcement agencies responded to 482 McBrien Road near the RAVE Theatre just off I-24. A tractor trailer hauling organic peroxide and sodium hydroxide was on fire. In addition to the burning semi trailer, the liquid chemicals the truck was hauling were also on fire in the parking lot. Firefighting operations got underway and once first responders learned what products they were dealing with, evacuations of surrounding homes and businesses began. Due to the fire, a mandatory evacuation was ordered for the residents within a half mile radius of the fire’s location. When organic peroxide and sodium hydroxide burn, they release vapors that could be harmful and could cause skin irritation and respiratory issues. A crash truck from the Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport responded to the scene with a piercing nozzle that punctured the trailer and injected foam into the truck to knock the fire down. In addition, TDOT brought 80 tons of dirt to stop any runoff as officials continue working to address environmental concerns. I-24 was closed in both directions from the I-24/I-75 split to the North Germantown exit into the early morning hours of Friday (8/4/23). Motorists were asked to avoid the area and seek alternative routes. A public shelter was opened at the Chris Ramsey Community Center (Brainerd Recreation Center) on North Moore Road. Hepaco, an environmental cleanup company, responded to the scene. The preliminary investigation indicates that an initial leak from containers inside the truck caused a chemical reaction, resulting in the fire. Public safety agencies immediately started working with Hepaco to support containment and cleanup efforts. The EPA is overseeing the cleanup process. TDEC is also involved in the cleanup. An excavator was used to peel back the sides of the trailer, giving crews a look inside at the totes containing the chemicals. They needed to see what was damaged, if anything was leaking, etc. Officials were able to determine that the situation was stable and incident command deemed the scene safe. Interstate 24 then reopened and families were able to return to their homes. There were no injuries. Thanks to all of the agencies involved.

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