FANNET — Texas Department of Public Saftey has reopened Interstate-10 after 18 hours of closure due to a massive ethanol spill, which occured Wednesday morning when a tanker carrying the flammable fluid ran off the road and flipped over.
Traffic was closed on all east and westbound lanes.
According to DPS, the interstate was opened at around 2:30 a.m. Thursday.
Previous reporting:
The Texas Department of Transportation says that motorists will have to wait until at least 8 p.m. for I-10 to open up again after a large tanker truck full of ethanol overturned on the interstate near Hampshire Road closing traffic in both directions.
The tanker turned over before 8 a.m. Wednesday near the 833 mile marker of I-10 east traveling from Houston to Lake Charles.
The spill prompted a shelter in place for Hampshire-Fennet schools, which has now been lifted, and a shelter in place in a two mile radius around the accident, which has been reduced to 1/2 a mile.
A hazardous materials team is working with the extremely flammable and harmful to humans. Affects include damage to lungs and eyes if contacted.
“Because you are dealing with ethanol it is very flammable and they have to clean it up in the safest way possible and safest doesn’t necessarily mean quickest,” said trooper Stephanie Davis of Texas department of Transportation.
Law enforcement officers are directing through highways Texas 365 and Texas 73.
“If motorists can avoid using I-10 please do so because we don’t have a definite timeline on when we’re going to open up the interstate,” said Davis.
The driver Kelvin Brooks of Houston, has been treated and released from Beaumont Baptist Hospital.
Check back with the Port Arthur News later for updates on this breaking story.
bjanes@panews.com
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