A relatively minor hazardous material spill caused some problems with morning rush-hour traffic Monday morning on Amnicola Highway.
Shortly before 9 a.m., a tanker truck carrying a 50 percent solution of caustic soda was making a turn onto Amnicola Highway in front of the main entrance to Chattanooga State, when about 20 gallons of the caustic solution sloshed out. Apparently, someone forgot to close a hatch on top of the tanker.
The tanker truck did not get very far away before the spill was discovered. The Chattanooga Fire Department and Chattanooga police were called to the scene. Once the product was identified, the decision was made to close Amnicola Highway in front of Chattanooga State in both directions and re-route traffic while the spill was cleaned up. No injuries were reported and haz-mat technicians say the spill did not present any threat to the public.
Chattanooga firefighters were assisting an environmental cleanup company in cleaning up the spill. There was no word yet on when Amnicola Highway would be re-opened to traffic.
Due to the spill, all traffic entering and exiting the Chattanooga State campus was redirected to the West entrance in front of the CBIH building or the entrance/exit by the dam.