APRIL 1, 2015
JACKSON, OHIO
The Chillicothe Pike exit to U.S. Route 35 westbound was
closed for about six hours on Tuesday due to a Hazmat situation.
At approximately 9:18 a.m. on Tuesday, March 31, an Ohio
State Patrol Motor Carrier Enforcement unit performed a routine stop of a
semi-tractor trailer.
The officer soon discovered that the trailer of the semi was
improperly placarded for Hazmat items that it was hauling. When the officer
opened the back doors of the trailer, a white gas cloud escaped.
The Jackson County Hazmat Team, along with Coalton Volunteer
Fire Department, Jackson County EMA, Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT),
Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO), Jackson EMS and Jackson Sheriff's
Office, all responded to the scene.
According to Jackson County EMA Director Robert E.
Czechlewski, the trailer contained 20 different types of chemicals and there
were about 185 barrels and containers that most contained chemical residue.
"Initially, we thought the containers were full, but it
turned out that the containers only had about a inch or so of chemical residue
in them," explained Czechlewski. "But when your talking about
hydrochloric acid, sulfur acid, sulfuric acid and all these other chemicals, it
can get kind of nasty."
Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was eventually
called to the scene because there were three barrels that had tipped over in
the back of the trailer. However, authorities said that nothing leaked on the
ground from the barrels.
"We didn't know what we were dealing with," stated
Czechlewski. "Like I said there could've been up to a inch of chemical
residue in the barrels."
"The Ohio EPA had Hazmat re-secure the trailer, after they
did a bunch of air monitoring. After getting the trailer secured, we drove it
to a nearby service access road (Clubhouse Road). They brought in another truck
and trailer and individually unloaded everything and inspected it,"
Czechlewski added.
"It turned out that the white gas cloud formed from
vapors mixing together from the container," Czechlewski explained.
According to Jackson County EMA, no one was injured and
there was no danger to the area because every precaution was taken.
The driver was not cited as a result of this incident
because he had just picked up a "field load". Since the company in
West Virginia already sealed the load, the shipper was at fault for improper
sealing and failing to properly placard the trailer.
The Hazmat Crew cleared the scene at 4:15 p.m.