Tanker Truck Flips Over on I-380 Overpass in Cedar Rapids, Iowa
August 16th, 2010 | 
Author: CEDAR RAPIDS, IA – A tanker truck flipped over early Wednesday morning, Aug 4, on an interstate overpass in Linn County, Iowa. The single vehicle truck accident happened when the liquid chemicals in the tanker shifted as the semi tanker moved through Cedar Rapids on Interstate 380 near Wright Brothers Blvd. The accident area is in the central east section of the state about 168 miles south of Rochester, Minnesota and about 174 miles north of Hannibal, Missouri.
At the time of the rollover truck accident, Mr. Short was on his way to Red Star Yeast in Cedar Rapids after picking up his cargo in Muscatine, IA. The tanker truck is owned by K.A. Steel Chemicals a chemical manufacturer and distributing company based in Lemont, Illinois.
At around 5:30 a.m. Wednesday morning 39 year old Joe Short of Colona, Illinois was driving a semi tanker truck north on Interstate 380 through Linn County, IA. The tank on the semi truck was loaded with about 50,000 pounds of sodium hydroxide, a liquid chemical that is also known as lye or caustic soda. Sodium hydroxide is potentially harmful and can irritate or damage a person’s eyes, skin, and mucous membranes.
At the time of the rollover truck accident, Mr. Short was on his way to Red Star Yeast in Cedar Rapids after picking up his cargo in Muscatine, IA. The tanker truck is owned by K.A. Steel Chemicals a chemical manufacturer and distributing company based in Lemont, Illinois.
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At about 5:40 a.m. Wednesday the truck driver reached the juncture of Wright Brothers Boulevard SW and Interstate 380. He exited the interstate and was attempting to turn left onto Wrights Brothers Blvd when the truck accident occurred.
As the tanker was making the turn the movement of the 18 wheeler caused the liquid chemical in the tanker to shift, throwing the semi truck off balance. The truck driver was unable to keep the tanker truck upright and it flipped over on its side on the east shoulder of the I-380 and Wright Brothers Blvd. SW interchange.
The impact of the truck accident apparently damaged the valve and a ventilation line on the tanker and sodium hydroxide began to slowly spill out of the truck.
No other persons or vehicles were involved in the rollover truck accident.
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Iowa State Police and Cedar Rapids emergency personnel responded to the truck accident and gave medical assistance to the truck driver. Mr. Short had unspecified pains and was stabilized and transported to Mercy Medical Center in Cedar Rapids with non life threatening injuries.
Due to the potential danger of the leaking chemical authorities shut down a section of Wright Brothers Blvd. around the overturned tanker as well as the northbound off ramp to I-380 and the nearby overpasses at Kirkwood Blvd. SW and Sixth Street.
Haz-mat workers were at the scene and were the only people allowed within 150 feet of the disabled tanker truck. A hole was cut into the flipped tanker truck and another tanker truck was brought to the truck accident site. According to authorities the haz-mat team would pump the sodium hydroxide into the second tanker and once empty the wrecked truck could be removed from the scene.
The affected areas around the truck accident scene remained closed throughout the morning commute and into the afternoon. Traffic was still being diverted at around 2:00 p.m. and authorities hoped to have the lanes open in time for the evening rush hour.
Officials investigating the truck accident determined that the truck driver, Mr. Short, was at fault for the rollover. He was charged with Failure to Retain Control.
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