A truck hauling 6,000 pounds of mining explosives overturned and crashed on a Georgia highway early Tuesday morning, spilling fuel and causing the roadway’s closure.
The Georgia State Patrol, the Georgia Department of Transportation, and local law enforcement agencies were on the scene at Georgia State Route 53 in Dawson County, where the truck crashed into at least three other vehicles around 5:30 a.m., the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.
Two people suffered minor injuries as a result of the crash, according to reports.
The Dawson County Fire and Emergency Services posted on Facebook that the highway is expected to be closed for several hours and that the truck had been carrying hazardous materials.
At least four vehicles were involved in the crash, including the truck carrying the 6,000 pounds of what is believed to be dynamite. The material, known as ammonium nitrate, is used in mining and construction for blasting existing structures.
Dawson County Fire Chief Danny Thompson told reporters at a press conference that the truck was headed towards a site in Pickens County.
Motor vehicle fluids and five gallons of the substance spilled out on the road, but none of the substance leaked into the surrounding environment or into waterways.
“There has been no spillage into any waterways to include Lake Lanier,” Thompson said.
Crews were cleaning up the site of the crash as of Tuesday morning while people were advised to take alternate routes for the time being.
RED ALERT continues in Dawson County: Overturned Truck Crash still has Hwy 53 east of GA-400 All Lanes Blocked use Jot Em Down Rd. as an alternate and Stay with @wsbtv and @wsbradio for updates https://t.co/MhPvicYKPN #ATLtraffic pic.twitter.com/mLHrbGIwaO
— AJC WSB Traffic (@ajcwsbtraffic) September 10, 2019
State troopers are actively investigating the incident.
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