Toxic spill sparks chemical emergency in St Louis
A chemical emergency has sparked roads closures near a Boeing facility after a tanker truck spilled thousands of gallons of toxic nitric acid. The incident in St Louis was triggered by a mechanical failure, releasing more than 4,500 gallons of the corrosive substance around 9am CT (10am ET). Nitric acid is a strong oxidizing liquid commonly used in industrial and chemical processes. When inhaled, it can severely irritate or burn the lungs.
Hazelwood Fire Chief Dan Luley said the cleanup would take several hours, with firefighters working in extreme heat and wearing heavy suits to protect them from the chemical. No injuries have been reported at this time. A Boeing spokesperson said: 'The safety of our employees is our first priority. 'The Hazelwood Fire Department and Boeing responded to an incident outside one of our facilities and the situation was safely resolved.'
Authorities have yet to announce when the roads will reopen, but all eastbound lanes have been blocked off as crews work to contain the spill. The incident happened as the truck was loading nitric acid at the facility. The Metropolitan St Louis Sewer District's response involved the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, the Missouri Sewer District, Hazelwood Police, and several fire departments.
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