Chemical leak forces "shelter in place" order

SPOKANE, Wash. -- Leaking vapors from a tanker truck prompted the shutdown of Interstate 90 near the Washington-Idaho border and an alert for nearby residents to stay indoors.

The highway was to be closed at least through the Monday morning commute, reports CBS Spokane affiliate KREM-TV.

The Washington State Patrol said the incident Sunday afternoon involved a tanker carrying a chemical called anhydrous trimethylamine. The vehicle was parked at a truck weigh station near Spokane.

No injuries were reported, but the highway was closed in both directions for several hours.

KREM says the biggest reason the I-90 closure stretched into Monday was that hazmat crews only have 25 minutes of oxygen to go near the chemical. Once that 25 minutes is up, they have to leave and decontaminate and put on a new suit. Late Sunday night, they ran out of fresh suits and had to wait to bring in more.

The incident started when a driver whose vehicle was behind the tanker noticed a leak and strong fishy type odor coming from the tanker. State troopers then stopped the truck at the weigh station at Stateline and created a 350-foot perimeter, KREM says.

Officials say the alert for people to shelter in place within a half-mile of the weight station was prompted by two police officers complaining of throat irritation and headaches.

According to DuPont, anhydrous trimethylamine is used in the manufacture of solvents, animal feed supplements and products for the paper, oil and gas industries.