Crash with styrene spill closes I-75 for more than 16 hours in Alachua County, FL
Photo courtesy of FHP.
A traffic alert was issued for Alachua County, Florida by the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP), just before 6:00 am on Tuesday, June 20, 2023, due to a traffic crash causing a tractor-trailer to overturn which resulted in a chemical spill of liquid styrene on Interstate-75 (I-75) at the 391 mile marker - northwest of Gainesville, Florida and southeast of High Springs, Florida.
The crash stopped traffic, in both north and south directions, until 10:20 p.m. The initial traffic alert stated that the assessment and cleanup of the chemical spill could take as long as 12 hours.
The FHP crash investigation revealed that two tractor-trailers, two pickup trucks, one sport utility vehicle (SUV) and one passenger vehicle were involved in the crash. It was raining at the time of the crash, and it apears that a vehicle hydroplaned and began the series of reactions and collisions that resulted in the chemical spill.
Southbound traffic was routed off I-75 at the 399 mile marker onto the U.S. Highway 441 High Springs exit. Northbound traffic was routed off I-75 at the 390 mile marker onto the State Road 222 exit.
Styrene is used to make plastics, paints, synthetic rubbers, protective coatings and resins; it should not be inhaled or come into contact with the skin.