Details about the Wednesday, February 21st accident involving a tractor-trailer tanker have been released by Mitchell County Emergency Management. The accident occurred around 11:00 a.m. on NC Highway 226 in the Buladean community and resulted in the first use of Mitchell County’s chemical spill ordinance. The 2023 ordinance addresses responsibility for clean-up and environmental protection in the case of accidents. County officials are working with Sibelco and the trucking company to review the spill at Buladean and determine responsibilities for funding the clean-up under the new chemical spill ordinance.

The North Carolina Department of Transportation has also begun studies on improving the intersection of North Carolina Highways 197 and 226 in the Red Hill area to make it safer for trucks to access the Sibelco facility on Highway 197. Officials hope to announce the changes to be made in the near future.

The tanker was hauling diluted hydrofluorosilicic acid, known locally as spent acid, and flipped over on its side just off the highway. A fuel tank was punctured, releasing approximately 20 gallons of diesel fuel. A valve on the tanker was cracked open, allowing less than 2 gallons of the acid to drip out. Emergency response and clean-up crews spent the afternoon offloading the acid from the tanker into another tanker truck and righting the wrecked vehicle, re-opening the road to regular traffic around 5:30 p.m.

This was the first use of Mitchell County’s new hazardous materials response trailer which the county partnered with mining conglomerate Sibelco to create in 2023. The trailer was a response to a truck accident in the Red Hill area that also resulted in a chemical spill.

First Responders, Kolby Silver, the Mitchell County Emergency Management Coordinator, Andrew Brewer, the Mitchell County Fire Marshal, Mitchell County Sheriff’s Deputies, Mitchell Medics, North Carolina Emergency Management officials, and the North Carolina Highway Patrol responded. The driver of the rig was transported to the hospital following the wreck.

Original article online at: https://www.ourlocalcommunityonline.com/2024/02/23/buladean-truck-accident-leads-to-adoption-of-chemical-spill-ordinance/

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