MARENGO, ILLINOIS — A semi-truck carrying hydrochloric acid rolled over onto its side in the early morning hours Friday, blocking all westbound lanes of Interstate 90 near milepost 36 south of Marengo and triggering a hazmat response that kept the highway closed well into the morning.
Illinois State Police and Hampshire Fire Protection District responded around 12:10 a.m. to the single-vehicle rollover. The 32,000-pound truck was on its side blocking all westbound lanes. A trooper on scene reported the acid did not appear to be leaking. The driver was able to self-extricate from the cab. He was initially reported injured but was not transported to a hospital.
Hazmat cleanup crews worked to safely remove the acid while a full-service towing and wrecker recovery service was called to upright and remove the truck. Hampshire Fire’s hazmat team remained on scene until approximately 6 a.m. Westbound traffic was diverted off I-90 at Route 23 and redirected to re-enter the interstate beyond the on-ramp. The highway remained closed as of 9:30 a.m. with extensive delays reported.
The cause of the crash and whether any citations will be filed were not immediately available. The investigation is ongoing.
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