Leaky Truck Shuts Down Interstate in North Idaho

SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — Leaking vapors from a tanker truck prompted the shutdown of Interstate 90 near the Washington-Idaho border.

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. The Spokesman-Review reported that fire crews set up a perimeter in all directions and advised people to avoid the area.

According to DuPont, anhydrous trimethylamine is used in the manufacture of solvents, animal feed supplements and products for the paper, oil and gas industries. It has an odor similar to ammonia at high concentrations. It's soluble in water and will vaporize quickly upon exposure to the atmosphere.