A section of St. Catharines Highway 406 is expected to remain closed overnight after a transport truck spilled hydrochloric acid all over the roadway.
Ontario Police posted a tweet about the spill around 12:45 p.m.
OPP Sgt. Kerry Schmidt tweeted that a transport truck in the northern lanes has started to deteriorate and has started to lose its load on the highway.
“We have 9,000 kilograms of hydrochloric acid that needs to be unloaded before we can reopen the highway,” Schmid said.
It is not yet clear how much of the acid was spilled. Police said the road would have to be re-asphalted before the highway could be reopened.
Strong acid is considered a dangerous commodity and irritant. Schmid said the environment ministry was involved in the cleanup effort.
“We are working to clear up the situation as soon as possible, but I know there will be some disappointment in the area, so if you manage to avoid Highway 406, it will be a big delay in these areas,” Schmid said.
The highway is currently closed in both directions between Westchester and Glendale Boulevards. The transport ministry said it was investigating possible damage to the highway.
Add Comment