FORNEY, Texas — U.S. Highway 80 has been reopened after an 18-wheeler overturned and spilled hazardous material on the north service road — forcing its closure on Thursday night.
FORNEY, Texas — U.S. Highway 80 has been reopened after an 18-wheeler overturned and spilled hazardous material on the north service road — forcing its closure on Thursday night.
The crash was reported at approximately 4:45 p.m. on the north service road of U.S. Highway 80 just east of the County Road 212/217 overpass. The highway was closed at approximately 7:30 p.m. and later reopened at approximately 10:15 p.m.
The truck was hauling 2,200 gallons of ADOX 3125, a chloric solution, in eight separate containers, according to the truck’s manifest. Four of those containers are leaking fluid, according Kaufman County Emergency Management Coordinator Steve Howie.
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality's Emergency Response Team and a hazmat mitigation team were dispatched to the scene along with the Emergency Management Office.
Several businesses on County Road 217 were evacuated for the night.
The 18-wheeler was traveling westbound on U.S. Highway 80 when the driver suffered a medical emergency and veered off the highway, up an overpass embankment, and onto the service road where the 18-wheeler overturned. The driver was transported to an area hospital.
A diesel spill was also reported although its unknown how many gallons may have spilled.
This is a developing story.
