I-81 northbound, 1 southbound lane reopened near Halfway; traffic snarled

Orica tanker crash and chemical spill along I-81 currently under investigation

A tanker carrying hazardous chemicals south on Interstate 81 flipped early Monday morning, blocking traffic as dozens of responders worked to clean up the spill.

A wheel blew out on the Orica USA Inc. vehicle, causing the vehicle to veer hard through a guardrail and down the steep embankment along the bend between Halfway Boulevard and U.S. 40, Maryland State Police Master Trooper Jeremey Hite told The Herald-Mail.

The driver of the truck, Steven Patrick Norfolk, 32, of Pennsylvania, was taken by ambulance to Meritus Medical Center for treatment of his injuries, according to a news release from the Maryland State Police.

Hite said the driver was “in stable condition” and was conscious when taken to the medical center and only sustained a gash to the head. Besides the driver, it appears there were no other injuries or damaged vehicles in the incident reported shortly before 6:15 a.m.

Orica USA spokesperson Jennifer Dunne said in an email the company was aware the vehicle, an Orica Mobile Manufacturing Unit, had crashed and that the driver was taken to the hospital for further evaluation.

"Fortunately, they do not appear to have any serious injuries, and we are currently awaiting additional information regarding their condition," Dunne wrote.

Several responders wearing hazmat suits were at the scene while others sprayed down the crash site with a hose. The Maryland Department of Environment responded to the crash, a state police spokesperson said in an email.

The Orica tanker was carrying ammonium nitrate and roughly three gallons spilled onto the road, according to the news release. Hite said there was no risk of combustion.

“(The driver) was carrying a hazmat chemical, ammonium nitrate, but it’s not a danger to the public right now,” Hite said. “But we did have the roadway closed down out of an abundance of caution.”

Ammonium nitrate is a colorless, crystalline salt used in some explosives, as a fertilizer, and in rocket fuel.

Orica's website says it specializes in the "production and supply of explosives, blasting systems, mining chemicals and geotechnical monitoring," among other things.

Dunne said the company's vehicle is built to move dangerous materials safely.

"As safety is our first priority, our MMU’s are engineered and designed to safely transport materials, including Ammonium Nitrate Emulsion (ANE), to our mining and quarry customers for their daily blasting operations," she said. "Orica representatives are on the scene and are working closely with emergency responders."

It was not immediately clear where the vehicle was coming from or going to, though an online search shows an Orica operation on Stitzells Road near Mercersburg, Pa.

Responders shut down the stretch of I-81 between Halfway Boulevard and U.S. 40 at the time of the crash but reopened I-81 northbound as of 8:51 a.m. Vehicles were detoured onto those roads, creating backups on neighboring side streets including Hopewell Road.

Responders began to open up a southbound lane around 9:20 a.m. but portions of the road were still closed as of 10:40 a.m., according to the news release.

The Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration assisted with the road closures and the Washington County Sheriff’s Office and Fire Department also tended to the scene, according to the news release.

"The cause of the crash remains under investigation," according to the news release.

Driver taken to hospital after I-81 crash

The driver of a tanker truck that overturned early Monday morning on Interstate 81 was taken to Meritus Medical Center near Hagerstown, a Maryland State Police trooper said.Troopers from the Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division are assisting in the investigation. The Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration assisted with the road closures. Deputies from the Washington County Sheriff’s Office and the Washington County fire department crews also assisted at the scene.

The driver, who was not immediately identified, was taken to the hospital with a head injury, according to Master Trooper Jeremy Hite. No other injuries were reported, a state police spokesperson said in an email.

The crash scene is near a slight bend in the highway on the southbound side, north of the Halfway Boulevard overpass.

The Maryland Department of Environment responded to the crash, the state police spokesperson said. People wearing hazmat suits were seen walking around the site, according to a Herald-Mail reporter on scene.

Ammonium nitrate is a colorless, crystalline salt used in some explosives, as a fertilizer, and in rocket fuel. However, the chemical was not a danger to the public, Hite said at the scene.

I-81 northbound reopened

Maryland State Police Hagerstown Barrack posted on its Facebook page that northbound Interstate 81 was reopened as of 8:51 a.m.

Tanker truck flips, closes Interstate 81 in both directions

An overturned tanker truck carrying ammonium nitrate on Interstate 81 southbound is going to cause delays and detours for an extended time, Maryland State Police said.

The truck overturned north of Halfway Boulevard near Hagerstown shortly before 6:15 a.m., according to a news release from the state police Hagerstown Barrrack.

Detours have been set up that sends northbound onto Halfway Boulevard; southbound I-81 traffic is being routed onto U.S. 40 west.

Numerous pieces of emergency equipment are responding, and businesses within 1,500 feet of the crash has been asked to evacuate.

The interstate will be closed for an extended time, and the public is asked to avoid the area.

This story will be updated.

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Mail: Tanker carrying ammonium nitrate flips on I-81 in MD; avoid interstate