(Teutopolis) A tractor-trailer carrying a powerful fertilizer, anhydrous ammonia, overturned in Illinois, causing “several deaths” and prompting the evacuation of area residents, police said Saturday.
The crash, which involved “multiple” vehicles, occurred less than a mile from Teutopolis on U.S. Route 40 Friday evening around 9:25 p.m., State Police said. Illinois in an emailed statement.
The death toll rose to five, including two children under the age of 12 and one of their parents, said Kim Rhodes, an Effingham County coroner. The other two victims were motorists traveling from outside the state of Illinois. Five people were also injured and were airlifted to local hospitals. Their state of health is unknown.
Due to the plume caused by the ammonia leak, an evacuation was ordered within a one and a half kilometer radius of the accident, including the northeastern parts of Teutopolis.
The road between Teutopolis and Montrose was still closed Saturday as crews worked to contain the leak. The National Transportation Safety Board announced that it will conduct an investigation into the circumstances of the accident.
Anhydrous ammonia is toxic and can pose a health hazard if safe handling procedures are not followed. The effects of inhaling anhydrous ammonia range from lung irritation to severe respiratory damage, with the possibility of death at higher concentrations. Anhydrous ammonia is also corrosive and can burn skin and eyes.
The city of Teutopolis is located approximately 90 miles (148 kilometers) southeast of Springfield, the capital of Illinois.