POLK COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA — A tractor-trailer driver was cited for failure to maintain lane control after the truck overturned on Interstate 26 in Polk County on Monday afternoon, October 26, spilling hazardous material and closing the eastbound lanes for hours.
The North Carolina State Highway Patrol said the truck’s load shifted when the driver failed to maintain lane control, causing the vehicle to overturn near mile marker 59, close to the Polk-Henderson county line. The truck was carrying calcium hypochlorite, a chemical used to clean swimming pools.
Eastbound lanes of I-26 were temporarily closed and stayed shut for hours while crews removed the truck and contained the spill. The Asheville Fire Department’s hazardous materials team responded and cleaned up the spill. Officials said the incident posed no threat to the public or the environment.
The driver’s name has not been released.
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