Hazmat Incidents Temporarily Halt I-24 Traffic

Hazardous cargo on Interstate 24 caused two separate shutdowns in a span of several hours on September 20th, prompting a response by multiple agencies. The first incident happened on I-24 Eastbound following an organic peroxide spill in East Ridge. At 4 PM, fire and police responded to a hazmat incident on the Germantown Road off-ramp from I-24 East. A motorist spotted a FedEx tractor trailer with fluid leaking out of the back of the truck and called 911. The interstate was shut down in both directions and homes in a 1,000 foot radius were evacuated as a precaution. The truck had a mixed load with other chemicals being transported on the trailer, but those containers were not impaired. The organic peroxide tote had a pinhole leak, prompting a full hazmat response involving multiple agencies. Firefighters suited up and made entry into the trailer to assess the leak. Marion Environmental then responded to the scene to begin securing and off-loading the leaking product. They placed the chemical into a new tote for further transport and conducted further cleanup at the site. Thirty-eight homes and one small apartment complex were evacuated as a precautionary measure. Residents went to the Brainerd Rec Center, staffed by the American Red Cross. There were no injuries.

Once emergency crews cleared that scene, they were called to a wreck at 8PM on I-24W at the 4th Avenue exit after a van collided with a tractor trailer transporting industrial floor cleaner, prompting another hazmat response and forcing the temporary closure of the interstate in both directions. It appeared that a Chevy Astro van came up the wrong way on 4th Avenue exit ramp and pulled in front of the tractor trailer, causing a head-on collision. Due to the patient being pinned in the vehicle and their position in the wreckage, firefighters performed a complicated extrication operation. The patient was cut out of the mangled car by skilled firefighters and then transported to the hospital with serious injuries. He was the only passenger inside the van. The driver of the tractor trailer was transported to the hospital with leg pain. A small leak was coming from the tractor trailer of a product called ZEP, which is a floor stripping material. A private environmental company handled the cleanup.