RESIDENTS TO RETURN HOME AFTER I-57 HAZMAT SPILL IN CHAMPAIGN, ILLINOIS
February
2, 2015
CHAMPAIGN
— Area public-works crews spent much of Sunday clearing streets and highways of
slushy snow while emergency personnel helped evacuate about 60 people after a
crash involving hazardous materials left a portion of Interstate 57 closed for
much of the day.
While
Champaign-Urbana didn't get the accumulation of snow that some had forecast,
the precipitation the area received did have quite an effect.
Illinois
State Climatologist Jim Angel said Champaign received about 2 inches of snow
through Sunday morning and 21/2 inches overall.
"We
had 0.46 inches in the rain gauges, but some of that was snow," Angel
said. "It wasn't quite as much as was expected. We didn't have a lot of
snow accumulation, but that's OK if you don't like snow."
Angel
said the 34-degree temperatures caused some snow to melt as other snow fell.
"The
stuff we ended up with is pretty slushy," he said.
Meanwhile,
Champaign Fire Marshall John Koller said about 60 people were evacuated as a
precaution to First Christian Church on Windsor Road in the wake of a rollover
crash Sunday morning on Interstate 57. Emergency personnel went door-to-door to
assist with the evacuation.
Affected
areas included the 3300 to 3400 blocks of Katie Lynn Drive, Edward Hoffman
Drive and Florence Drive and the 800 to 900 blocks of Erin Drive.
According
to Illinois State Trooper Tracy Lillard, the accident took place in the
northbound lanes of I-57 just north of the I-72 interchange at 7:02 a.m.
Sunday.
Derrick
Williams, 33, who listed an address in Baton Rouge, La., was driving a truck
pulling a tanker trailer north and was changing from the right to left lane
when he lost control of the vehicle.
The
tanker came loose from the truck and turned on its side.
Lillard
said the tanker then slid to the center median while the truck spun into the
right ditch, coming to rest upright.
Police
said the tanker was loaded with Dimethylaminopropylamine, a substance typically
used to make shampoo.
No
injuries were reported, but Williams was ticketed for driving too fast for
conditions and for failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident.
Northbound
traffic was directed off I-57 at the University Avenue exit, but cars and
trucks were backed up for 2 miles south of that location as late as 2 p.m.
Sunday.
Southbound
traffic was directed off I-57 at the Olympian Drive exit.
Both
closures were expected to continue through most of the day.
Meanwhile,
work crews spent the day cleaning the spill.
Kris
Koester, administrative services supervisor for Champaign public works, said
some crews were diverted from snow removal to assist at the scene.
"We
took some dirt out there to fill up inlets to prevent contamination from leaks,
and we put up signals to guide people around the detour," Koester said
late Sunday afternoon.
Koester
said 26 public-works employees were on the job Sunday afternoon clearing snow
from Champaign streets. Another 23 workers were set to take their place at
11:30 p.m. Sunday.
"We
plan on getting the primary routes cleared and then work on the streets
overnight," he said. "When people get up in the morning, things are
going to look pretty good."
Urbana
Public Works Operations Manager John Collins said that 13 people began plowing
work at noon Sunday, with a second crew of 14 set to take their places at
midnight.
"We
had the primary routes and business district cleaned up by 4:30 p.m.
Sunday," he said. "We intend to spend the night hours working on the
residential routes. We are keeping the snow loose, and it is flying off the
roads pretty good."
Tracy
Wingler of the Champaign County Highway Department said eight workers began
salting county roads at 3 a.m. Sunday and switched to plowing later in the day.
"On
Sunday afternoon, we treated the intersections and curbs," he said.
"The snow that we have in place on Sunday afternoon is not going to move,
but if we get new snow and the winds pick up, that could be a problem."
//___________________________________________//
CHEMICAL
SPILL OF DIMETHYLAMINDPROPLYMINE ON I-57 IN CHAMPAIGN ILLINOIS. 60 PEOPLE EVACUATED. TANKER TRUCK DRIVER WAS TICKETED FOR GOING
TOO FAST FOR ROAD CONDITIONS, RESULTING IN ITS OVERTURNING.
February
1, 2015
CHAMPAIGN,
ILLINOIS:
The
Champaign Fire Department reports that around 60 people with homes on Summer
Sage Court are being moved to First Christian Church on Curtis Road due to the
spill.
State
police say a portion of Interstate 57 west of Champaign will be closed for most
of Sunday as crews clean up an accident that led to a hazardous spill.
Crews
are re-routing northbound traffic at Interstate 72 and southbound traffic at
Olympian Drive. Bradley Avenue is also closed at I-57. This is all due to a
tanker that went off the road Sunday morning, spilling a product that's used in
cosmetic items. The chemical is volatile,
it has the odor of ammonia (it is an amine) and is vaporizing and it is also
flammable. It has a high pH (12) and helps
balancing the pH of the shampoos.
The
chemical’s name is :
dimethylamindproplymine. Dimethylaminopropylamine (aka
"DMAPA") is a diamine used in the preparation of some surfactants,
such as cocamidopropyl betaine which is an
ingredient in many personal care products including soaps, shampoos, and
cosmetics. In its undiluted form it is
high irritating to the eyes, skin and mucous membranes of exposed individuals.
Champaign
Fire Department Deputy Chief John Barker said several departments are cleaning
up the spill.
Forecasting shows the winds will be picking up. Champaign Fire has ordered
a partial evacuation of Summer Sage Ct. Fire will go door-door
— Champaign Fire Dept. (@ChampaignFire) February
1, 2015
Partial evacuation involves 30 units and approximately 60 people. First
Christian Church on Curtis Rd is accepting evacuees.
— Champaign Fire Dept. (@ChampaignFire) February
1, 2015
//_____________________________________//
CHAMPAIGN,
Ill. — A stretch of Interstate 57 in central Illinois near Champaign is closed
after a tanker truck carrying a chemical used in making shampoo overturned.
Illinois
State Police say the accident happened about 7 a.m. on Sunday just west of
Champaign.
No
injuries were reported.
Police
say the truck was northbound and changing lanes when the driver lost control.
That’s when investigators say the tanker detached from the tractor and
overturned onto its side in the center median.
Police
say traffic in both directions of the freeway would be detoured until the
wreckage is removed and the chemical is unloaded from the tanker.
Police
say the 33-year-old driver from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, was ticketed for
driving too fast for conditions and failing to reduce speed to avoid an
accident.