I-15 Closed by Fatal Accident, Chemical Spill

A stretch of northbound Interstate 15 north of Gopher Canyon Road was closed Saturday night when spilled chlorine and muriatic acid from an overturned pool cleaning truck reacted on the freeway, releasing a small cloud of chlorine gas.

The unidentified female driver of the small Toyota pickup truck was killed in the one-car accident when she was thrown from the truck--which rolled several times--and struck by at least one oncoming vehicle, said Matt Boyan, acting captain of the Deer Springs Fire Department. An unidentified male passenger suffered minor injuries, Boyan said.

The woman was headed south on I-15 about a quarter of a mile south of the Old Highway 395 exit shortly after 6:30 p.m. when she lost control of the truck, Boyan said. The vehicle crossed the center divide and came to a stop in the fast lane of the northbound side of the freeway, Boyan said.

The rollover ruptured 25 one-gallon containers of liquid chlorine and six or seven one-gallon containers of muriatic acid, which is used to clean pools. The two chemicals reacted, creating a small cloud of chlorine gas that rose about 10 feet above the freeway and was carried a short distance to the east by light winds, Boyan said.

The reaction continued to produce gas for about 45 minutes, Boyan said. Motorists drove through it before the freeway could be closed, but no one was apparently injured, he said.

The California Highway Patrol closed the northbound side of the freeway at Gopher Canyon Road shortly after 7 p.m., diverting all traffic onto Old Highway 395 for a distance of three to four miles. Motorists were allowed to get back on the freeway at the Old Highway 395 on-ramp.

The Hazardous Materials Unit of the city of San Diego Fire Department neutralized the chemicals with soda ash, and Caltrans was still cleaning the freeway at 10:30 Saturday night. It was unclear when the northbound lanes would be reopened.