DOWNTOWN TRAFFIC ALERT: Hazmat response for truck leak

(UPDATED TUESDAY with SFD’s summary)

Added – reader photo. Truck at left.

4:01 PM: What SFD describes as “a leak from a truck” has blocked off 2nd and Marion downtown as well as part of 1st including the SB 99 onramp vicinity. More to come.

4:13 PM: To be specific about the “onramp vicinity,” SDOT says 1st/Columbia and 1st/Madison are also blocked off. Metro says via Twitter, “Buses are rerouted off of SB 2nd Av. Use stops on 2nd Av, north of Spring St/south of Columbia St.”

4:27 PM: Update from SFD via Twitter:

Hot zones blocked off while Hazmat team working to secure contents of spill and have semi moved. @seattledot @SeattlePD also on scene. pic.twitter.com/3eYwQ5x2kw

— Seattle Fire Dept (@SeattleFire) January 31, 2017

4:46 PM: Multiple readers are advising that buses are still getting onto the SB 99 ramp at Columbia.

4:52 PM: An SDOT video camera (choose “downtown” on the lower right of this page) is showing the ramp and looks like cars are getting on too – if they come down Columbia, or NB on 1st toward Columbia. Police are blocking 1st on the north side of Columbia and beyond.

4:58 PM: From scanner – crews have stopped the leak and moved the truck to level ground. They’ll be dismissing some crews.

5:07 PM: SDOT says one southbound lane on 1st “from Madison” has reopened.

5:27 PM: All lanes of 1st are now open, says SDOT, but 2nd remains closed.

6:17 PM Metro says SB buses are now getting through on 2nd.

7:42 PM: Not back to normal yet:

UPDATE: Right lane on 2nd Ave between Madison & Columbia St remain blocked. Also, All lanes on Marion St between 1st & 2nd remain closed.

— seattledot (@seattledot) January 31, 2017

ADDED NOON TUESDAY: Here’s the SFD summary of the incident:

On Monday, January 30, 2017, at 3:23 p.m., firefighters were dispatched to the area of 2nd Avenue S and S Marion Street for a battery acid spill from a semi-truck.

The Seattle Fire Department responded to a request to investigate contents leaking out of the back of a semi-truck. SFD’s Hazmat team responded and determined the spilled product to be battery acid. They tested for hazardous materials, applied acid neutralizer and diked the downhill area to contain the spill. Firefighters also stabilized the rear doors of the semi-truck which was damaged by the shifting load.

King County Metro assisted in towing the semi-truck up the street where it was parked on a level surface, preventing further leakage. Firefighters found 11 pallets of batteries and verified that the leaking had stopped.

There were no reported injuries. Seattle Police Department, NRC Environmental Services, Seattle Department of Transportation, and Seattle Public Utilities Spill Response were on-site to assist with this incident.

Josh January 30, 2017 (4:14 pm)

This is right outside the building I work in. First cops on scene said it was battery acid leading from the trailer. 1st and 2nd totally closed. Marion between 3rd and Western closed.

WSB January 30, 2017 (4:29 pm)

Thank you for the update!
- newnative January 30, 2017 (4:33 pm)
  
  to clarify, does this mean that buses won’t be able to access onramp to 99 and will be rerouted?

PigeonPoint January 30, 2017 (4:38 pm)

At the moment, west Seattle bound busses that take Columbia to get on 99 are currently getting to the viaduct without issue.

Desertdweller January 30, 2017 (4:38 pm)

I’m on a south-bound C bus that left downtown about 10 minutes ago. Traffic hadn’t started to pile up yet, but I’m guessing it’s going to cause some major backups soon.

The C bus took its normal route AFAIK!

Joleen January 30, 2017 (4:38 pm)

Buses are still getting on SB 99 at Columbia.

WestSeattleCoug January 30, 2017 (4:38 pm)

The ramp onto the viaduct is open for all WS busses that use it (from Columbia).

Whew!

WSB January 30, 2017 (4:45 pm)

Thanks for everybody with that update. SDOT has not been any clearer than 1st closed Columbia to Madison, so apparently that’s a closure from the north side of Columbia.

Seattlesunbrun January 30, 2017 (4:45 pm)

Buses are getting on 99 south. West Seattle -ites can get home!

newnative January 30, 2017 (4:49 pm)

thank you everybody. I mistakenly sat on several buses for an hour and a half during last week’s traffic mess (bus vs pedestrian) and wanted to avoid that altogether this time. I would rather do a pub crawl or walk home.