Hazmat spill cleanup still in progress at Donner Pass Rest Area

CHP Truckee/Courtesy photo
The Donner Pass Rest Area on Interstate I-80 East is still closed for cleanup after a semi-truck lost two tons of phosphoric acid from its rear trailer Monday afternoon.
At approximately 1:50 p.m. on May 13, California Highway Patrol received a call of a semi-truck losing a “green substance” from its rear trailer, according to CHP Truckee Public Information Officer Carlos Perez.
CHP officers responded and noticed a large amount of green substance spilling from the rear of the trailer of the white semi pickup truck, Perez said. For safety precautions, officers cleared the rest area and waited for hazmat teams to arrive.
CalFire and Truckee Fire Department arrived on the scene 15 minutes later with hazmat and fire crews and determined the chemical was phosphoric acid and that approximately 2 tons had spilled. The truck was carrying 16 tons of phosphoric acid.
Nevada County Environmental Health and Fish and Wildlife also responded to the spill, Perez said. The surrounding waters and aqueducts were not affected by the spill.
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