Five People Killed in Chemical Spill from Overturned Semitruck in Teutopolis
By Accident.NEWS
Publish Date: October 3, 2023
Five people died from exposure to the spilled chemical.
Five people have tragically died after being exposed to a chemical spill caused by an overturned semitruck in central Illinois. Autopsies conducted on Monday confirmed the cause of death, although official results won't be available for several weeks. The victims were identified as Teutopolis resident Kenneth Bryan, 34, and his children Walker Bryan, 10, and Rosie Bryan, 7; Danny J. Smith, 67 of New Haven, Missouri; and Vasile Cricovan, 31 of Twinsburg, Ohio.
The incident occurred in Teutopolis which is approximately 110 miles northeast of St. Louis. The semitruck was traveling on U.S. Route 40 on Friday night when it swerved to avoid a collision with another vehicle attempting to pass it. As a result of the maneuvering, the truck jackknifed and toppled over onto a parked vehicle off the road causing a rupture in its chemical container.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) reported that more than half of the tanker's load spilled out onto the road during the crash. The chemical involved is anhydrous ammonia which can burn or corrode organic tissue and is commonly used by farmers as nitrogen fertilizer or as refrigerant in large buildings such as warehouses.
Due to concerns about toxic fumes released by the spillage, around 500 residents within a one-mile radius were temporarily evacuated from their homes in Teutopolis until authorities deemed it safe for them to return.
The impact of this tragic incident has deeply affected the community. Efforts have been made to support those affected financially with GoFundMe campaigns established for both the Bryan family and Cricovan.
Anhydrous ammonia is transported throughout the United States via pipelines, trucks, and trains. Drivers responsible for transporting toxic substances like anhydrous ammonia must possess a commercial driver's license as well as pass additional tests for hazardous material endorsements.
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Tags: Fatality, Illinois, Accident, Pedestrian, Rockford, NTSB, Semitruck, Chemicalspill, Teutopolis
Incident at a Glance
- Parties Involved:
- Kenneth Bryan, Walker Bryan, Rosie Bryan, Danny J. Smith, Vasile Cricovan
- Vehicles:
- semitruck, another vehicle, trailer hitch
- Fatality:
- YES
- State:
- Illinois
- City:
- Teutopolis
- Location:
- U.S. 40, Teutopolis, Illinois
- Date of Incident:
- 2023-09-29
- Time of Incident:
- night
U.S. 40, Teutopolis, Illinois
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