Chemical spill from overturned tanker truck shuts down eastbound lanes of I-70
Eastbound lanes of I-70 through Kansas City closed Friday afternoon after a tanker truck carrying plant chemicals overturned on the highway.
The truck overturned around 12:45 p.m. at I-70 and I-435, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins, a spokesperson for the Kansas City Fire Department.
It was filled with a plant growth enhancement chemical similar to Miracle-Gro, which spilled out onto the highway. The spilled chemical is not toxic, but it is a mild irritant with a strong smell.
No other vehicles were involved in the crash, according to Hopkins.
The driver of the truck, along with one police officer and one firefighter, were transported to a local hospital to be evaluated after inhaling some of the chemical. Eastbound lanes of I-70 were still closed around 2 p.m. Friday as crews clean up the area.
The spill comes two weeks after a rogue truckload of potatoes shut down another area highway, I-35 in Independence. After a tractor trailer carrying the potatoes crashed into another vehicle, spuds and fuel rolled onto the road, with minor injuries reported in the crash.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
