FERRIC CHLORIDE SPILL ON I-75 IN RICHMOND, KY SENDS A TROOPER TO THE HOSPITAL FOR INHALATION AND EYE EXPOSURE
February 11, 2015
RICHMOND, KENTUCKY: (WKYT)
A chemical, ferric chloride, leaked
out of a tanker truck on Interstate 75, sending a trooper to the hospital, and
backing up traffic for hours. We assume it
was liquid ferric chloride. The tanker
was carrying 3, 240 gallons of the chemical.
The spill happened a little after 10:00 a.m. Tuesday at Mile
Marker 96 in the northbound lanes. The northbound and southbound lanes were
closed from northbound exit 90 to exit 97.
Kentucky State Police say southbound lanes reopened around
4:00 p.m. and northbound lanes reopened about a half-hour later on Interstate
75.
State Police tell WKYT the chemical is ferric chloride
solution and it is an inhalation hazard. One trooper did go to the hospital.
Ferric chloride is used in wastewater treatent, purifying
factory effluents and deodorizing sewage, mordant in dyeing and printing
textiles; pigments and inks; and photoengraving. It is an inhalation, skin contact and
ingestion hazard. It may cause eye irritation
as well. Need to get immediate medical
attention. Unfortunately for the troopers,
they are first at the scene and they do not know what chemical they are dealing
with.
"It may have some inhalation hazards. Drivers driving
up the interstate with their air conditioning on, if there's any of that liquid
on the interstate obviously that could be a hazard to them," explained
Trooper Robert Purdy with Kentucky State Police.
Madison County Emergency Management issued a shelter in
place order for people living in the area. The order affected the Madison
Village, Lexington Heights and Clay Lane Estates subdivisions. Shelter in place
means people should stay inside, keep their windows and doors closed and listen
to local radio stations for further instructions.
Emergency management says the shelter in place order is just
a precaution. There is no immediate danger.
Ferric chloride is also know as iron chloride. It's primary
use is to remove impurities in water and for wastewater treatment. Inhalation
may irritate the nose and throat. Ingestion causes irritation of the mouth and
stomach. Prolonged contact with skin causes irritation and burns.
Workers at Madison County Emergency Management tell WKYT
interstate traffic was rerouted Tuesday afternoon onto U.S. Highway 25.
"We are headed to South Carolina from Troy, Ohio and we
got stopped about 11 o'clock and we've been sitting ever since on the
highway," Nick Merrell, a driver, said, "we turned around on the
highway, on the median and found a hotel and got a map and found some side
roads. Made it this far, but those are all stopped too. Can't even go
around."
Drivers called Tuesday morning's chemical spill a traffic
nightmare.
"It's frustrating. We have a three-year-old in the car
and we still have eight hours of driving to go," said Merrell's wife
Jamie.
State police say the driver of the tanker wasn't injured,
and the trooper who went to the hospital to be checked out for possible
exposure to chemicals is expected to be okay.
The tanker belongs to Triad Transport out of Oklahoma. It
transports hazardous waste.