A tanker rolled over on onto its side on northbound Peoria Street near 39th Avenue early Monday morning, triggering hazardous calcium nitrate and diesel leaks.
“It has a degree of flammability that we are concerned with,” said Capt. Gregory Pixley, spokesman for the Denver Fire Department. “We’ve established what we call hot and safety zones to keep people away from the accident.”
The crash is expected to stymie traffic through the rush hour. Northbound Peoria Street is closed at 33rd Avenue and will be for hours to come, Pixley said.
The remainder of the calcium nitrate inside the tanker needs to be off-loaded before the truck can be put back on its wheels, he said. Firefighters in full-body hazardous materials suits and masks are in charge of the operation.
“We don’t want to breathe the vapors,” Pixley said.
Update on the overturned Tanker Truck at 39th Ave. & Peoria. assisting with contaminated area around the spill, DFD working to offload product from tanker & then to right the vehicle. Traffic open SB on Peoria but congestion in area remains. Avoid area if possible.
— Denver Fire Department (@Denver_Fire)
The crash happened at 39th Avenue and Peoria Street, the 6:19 a.m. police tweet says.
“We’re certainly fortunate that was not an injury, a fire or an explosion,” Pixley said. “There are so many scenarios where this could have been much more serious.”
Pixley said firefighters are proceeding cautiously to avoid any ignitions. Denver will work with city or state environmental authorities to ensure the clean is properly done, he said.
“It’s just a puddle now,” he said, referring to the leaking diesel and the liquid calcium nitrate.
It’s unclear how long it will take to clean up the spill, Pixley said.
“Expect severe delays,” the tweet says.
: are on scene of a rollover crash involving a tanker at 39th Ave and Peoria St. We are assisting by CLOSING northbound Peoria St at 33rd Ave. Please use an alternate route or expect severe delays.
— Aurora Police Dept (@AuroraPD)
