Hydrogen Gas Leak Shuts Down Conn. Highway

Dozens of homes were evacuated Tuesday because a tractor trailer was leaking highly volatile hydrogen gas after crashing on Interstate 84 in the Waterbury/Middlebury area.

The evacuations took place in the Shadduck Road area of Middlebury following the shutdown of I-84 in both directions from an early morning tractor trailer accident. Police said the highway, one of the main routes from Massachusetts into New York state, might be shut down for most of the day.

The tractor trailer may be leaking compressed hydrogen gas, prompting a "full Hazmat response," state police spokesman Lt. J. Paul Vance said. Fire crews, the Department of Environmental Protection and other agencies are expected to respond to the scene, reports the Hartford Courant.

Middlebury Police Chief Richard Guisti said 60 to 70 people were evacuated from their homes when officials learned of the danger from the hydrogen leak. Those evacuated were taken to a shelter at the Middlebury Fire Department.

Guisti said the highway would remain shut down for most of the day.

"We're waiting for a company out of Massachusetts to attempt to unload the vehicle before we can have it removed from the site," Guisti said.

The flatbed truck, which overturned about 5:30 a.m. near exit 17, was leaking highly volatile hydrogen gas from some canisters of compressed gas.

The highway was first shut down westbound, but discovery of the hydrogen leak prompted the closing of the highway eastbound from exit 16 and the call for evacuations.

Guisti said the shutdown of the highway meant that local roads in his town and Waterbury were congested almost immediately.

The chief said Route 64, a main thoroughfare in his town, was almost at a standstill five hours after the truck overturned.

Chief Guisti said state and local police were still having their hands full with trying to get traffic around and away from the area and were encouraging travelers to use Route 8 north and south or Routes 6 and 67 to avoid the area.

State police said the driver of the overturned rig suffered minor injuries.