Hazmat spill on Arizona highway spurs evacuation, shelter-in-place orders

A crash involving a commercial truck tractor pulling a box trailer in Arizona has caused a hazmat spill that has shut down part of a highway and required residents nearby to evacuate or shelter in place. 

The Arizona Department of Public Safety said in a tweet just past 7 p.m. ET that it was investigating the spill on Interstate 10 in Tucson. It said in a post on its website that the truck tractor, which was carrying liquid nitric acid, was leaking hazardous material. 

The website post said unified command, which is made up of the state public health department and the Tucson police and fire departments, have evacuated residents within a half-mile perimeter of the spill and told residents within a mile of the crash to shelter in place. 

The shelter-in-place order was lifted as of 10:45 p.m. ET, but those who evacuated will stay outside of the half-mile perimeter.

Officials closed the highway in both directions as a result and have warned that local residents should expect an “extensive” closure. They said motorists should find other routes and the public should avoid the area. 

The department later said on its website that the driver of the vehicle had died.

The spill comes after a train derailment near the town of East Palestine, Ohio, earlier this week caused boxcars to burst into flames and allow hazardous chemicals to escape into the air. Officials conducted a “controlled release” of the chemicals to avoid an even more hazardous explosion. 

The odors from the chemicals have largely scattered, but some reportedly are remaining near streams.

Updated: 10:57 p.m. ET