ANOTHER DISASTER AVERTED: TANKER CARRYING LIQUID NITROGEN OVERTURNS, HIGHWAY 99 SHELDON ROAD OFF-RAMP BLOCKED. THE LIQUID NITROGEN EVENTUALLY WAS VENTED INTO THE ATMOSPHERE
February
10, 2015
ELK
GROVE (CBS13) – Crews are working to right a tanker that rolled over at
the Highway 99 off-ramp from Sheldon Road Tuesday afternoon.
Authorities
say that the big rig is carrying liquid nitrogen, necessitating a level 2
Hazmat response.
The
southbound Highway 99 off-ramp to Sheldon Road has been closed as a consequence
of the crash, Caltrans says. Crews expect to have the roadway reopened by 3:30
p.m.
HAZMAT specialists with the Cosumnes Fire
Department vented liquid nitrogen from an overturned tanker truck in Elk Grove
on Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2015. The nitrogen created a water vapor when the cold
contacted the moisture in the air. Officials said the vapor is non-toxic,
non-flammable and posed no danger to the public.
This rollover is a good example of how easy it is for these liquid-carrying tanker trucks to rollover as they make a turn, coming off a ramp, changing course, etc. If the speed is too high for the load, then the truck will rollover and the driver can do nothing about it. In fact, all the times, the driver is trying to over-correct the sloshing effect of the liquid and ends up overturning the truck even faster.
//_______________________________//
An
overturned tanker truck loaded with liquid nitrogen forced the closure of
Sheldon Road at Highway 99 in Elk Grove Tuesday afternoon.
The
driver wasn't injured in the incident which also closed the Sheldon southbound
to Highway 99 exit.
Sacramento
Fire Department spokesperson Robert Padilla said Sacramento Fire, Consumnes
fire and HAZMAT crews responded.
Consumnes
Fire tweeted HAZMAT that it determined it would be safe to vent the liquid
nitrogen into the atmosphere in order to right the tanker. When the liquid
nitrogen hits air, it forms a water vapor cloud. The vapor is non-toxic and non-flammable but may cause
suffocation by displacing the oxygen in air.
When spilled the liquid will vaporize rapidly forming an
oxygen-deficient vapor cloud. Evacuate this vapor cloud area.
The venting process was expected to take a
couple of hours, Cosumnes Deputy Fire Chief Mike McLaughlin said.
Southbound Highway 99 and Sheldon Road at West
Stockton Boulevard were expected to be closed until the liquid nitrogen
dissipated and the tanker was removed.
Expect
traffic delays for at least a few hours, authorities said.
The
tanker overturned at 12:45 p.m.
