Accident Shuts Down Schuylkill Expressway, Draws Hazmat Team
Some cars may be stuck in the heat for hours as responders work to clear the scene.
[Update 4:20]
All lanes of the Schuylkill Expressway appear to be open, with a webcam showing traffic moving freely in both directions.
[Update 1:35 p.m.]
A driver near the accident told Patch that he was able to drive around the scene along with other vehicles that had been stuck.
While a Pennsylvania State Police officer told Patch that some vehicles were allowed to leave, she could not confirm that a lane had been reopened. A webcam near the scene appears to show that both eastbound lanes remain closed.
[Update 12:54]
Patch spoke with a driver whose car stopped approximately 60 yards behind the accident after it occurred. He told Patch that most of the vehicles had shut off their engines and that ex-motorists were milling about, with many taking a walk to near the accident.
Besides sending in the above photo, the driver said that he observed at least one dog being given water to prevent dehydration. He said that officials stated that water may be distributed to individuals depending on how the situation develops. In addition, officials stated that the cars may be stuck for as long as 2-3 hours, while some individuals said they heard it could be as much as 5-6, he said.
[Original story]
A multi-vehicle accident that included a tanker has shut down three lanes of the Schuylkill Expressway near the Conshohocken Curve, causing a seven-mile backup in the eastbound lane and drawing hazmat units to the scene, multiple news agencies report.
The crash occurred just before 11:30 a.m. past the exit for the blue route and involved a tanker truck, dump truck, and multiple cars, according to NBC10. One westbound lane remains open while eastbound traffic has halted. There have been no reports of injuries.
Hazmat teams are currently working to clean a fuel spill, reportedly up to 180 gallons, seen in many images as a black liquid on the roadway. A dump truck carrying mulch also overturned, and responders took to the expressway with shovels to begin removing it, according to an ABC6 television report.
The expressway is closed from the the blue route to Belmont, with traffic further complicated by a route 23 closure for emergency utility work, ABC6 said. Authorities are also concerned that some vehicles may be stuck in the heat for hours as the scene is cleared. Route 30/Lancaster Avenue is suggested as an alternate route.
Check back with Patch for more information.
Rudolph S Caparros Jr
2:58 pm on Wednesday, December 26, 2012
HazMat Experts and Firefighters petition Dow Chemical and Union Pacific for safe rail tank cars transporting gas chlorine. Secondary containment is a necessary improvement that must be implemented. See--PETITION C KIT for First Responders Comments.
Jim Gerard
2:47 pm on Tuesday, January 8, 2013
TOXIC TRAIN SAFETY - A First Responders Petition caused The Chlorine Institute to conduct a five-month study comparing the safety of secondary containment to the chlorine “C”-Kit for chlorine tank cars. The study proved secondary containment to be, by far, the safest technology for containing and preventing releases of chlorine gas. To see secondary containment - search “CHLORTANKER.”
calchem
6:45 pm on Tuesday, January 8, 2013
WARNING: FIRST RESPONDERS’ use of THE CHLORINE INSTITUTE “C” KIT may cause the catastrophic failure of a chlorine tank car, instantly creating a toxic gas plume with a distance of not less than seven miles. The first mile will have chlorine concentrations of 1,000 ppm, causing death after one or two breaths with no opportunity for escape. To learn more, see PETITION C KIT, click on “First Responder Warnings.”