Saturday, March 28, 2015

I-90 NEAR JANESVILLE, WI REOPENS 24-HOURS AFTER CHEMICAL SPILL




MARCH 28, 2015

JANESVILLE, WISCONSIN

After nearly 24 hours, all lanes of I-90 near Janesville reopened late Friday night at the scene of a semi-truck crash and chemical spill.

The westbound lanes of I-90 were closed throughout the day Friday after a crash involving two semi trucks just before 1:50 a.m. Friday morning, when one truck swiped another that was stalled along the interstate, leaving multiple 55-gallon drums of chemicals leaking.

There were no injuries in the crash, officials said.

But one semi was carrying up to 15 different chemicals, and officials worked for hours to identify them and clean them up. The Janesville Hazmat team didn't receive any dangerous air quality readings, but still recommended part of Green Valley Drive be evacuated, according to the Rock County Sheriff's Department.

The Madison Fire Department's Hazmat Team and others assisted with the clean up.

People evacuated from their homes were allowed to return by 4:30 p.m. Friday, and I-90 was fully reopened just before midnight Saturday.