Tanker Truck Fire on I-45 South Loop in Houston: Sulfuric Acid Incident

Tanker Truck Fire Incident

• ⚠️ A tanker truck fire occurred on the South Loop East ramp to I-45 South in Houston.
• 🚚 The truck was confirmed by HFD to be hauling natural sulfuric acid.
• 🔥 The fire, which started shortly before 7:00 PM, appeared to be extinguished but resparked at times.
• 🚒 Both the Houston Fire Department and hazmat crews responded to the scene.

Safety and Air Quality Monitoring

• 🚫 Currently, there are no evacuation orders or shelter-in-place directives for the immediate area.
• 😷 HFD is actively monitoring air quality for any health concerns, with no immediate issues reported.
• 💨 Winds are out of the south at 8-10 mph, which is considered light and helps chemicals rise rather than spread along the ground.

Nature of Sulfuric Acid

• 🧪 Sulfuric acid is a chemical used in various industries, including the production of other chemicals, refining oil, and in lead-based car batteries.
• 💧 It is noted that water should not be applied to sulfuric acid fires, and no water was observed being used in the response.
• ⚠️ Firefighters must follow specific protocols, using foam, carbon dioxide, or other methods depending on the chemical involved.

Incident Resolution and Traffic Impact

• ✅ The fire has been extinguished, and the immediate threat is believed to be over.
• 🚗 While traffic experienced significant slowdowns, some lanes appear to be open, though partial closures remain.
• 🔍 The exact cause and what specifically was burning (cab vs. other vehicle) are still under investigation, as the tanker itself did not appear to be aflame.
• 📰 KHOU 11 is on the scene with a reporter en route to provide further updates.