UPDATE: Crews respond to anhydrous ammonia spill
THE LATEST: The spill has been cleaned up. The sheriff's department reports that Avalon Road from County J to Townhall Road is still closed but should open up by 3:15 p.m. if not sooner.
The Rock County Sheriff's Office, Wisconsin State Patrol, Rock County Public Works, the Janesville Fire Department, and the Town of Turtle Fire Department are tending to what's being called a minor spill of anhydrous ammonia in the area of Avalon Road just east of and County Highway J, southeast of Janesville.
Unauthorized persons are being asked to leave this area until it is deemed clear.
Crews were called out at 10:01 Thursday to a report of a spill resulting from an overturned vehicle.
At about noon, firefighters were preparing to offload the remaining ammonia from the damaged tank to a new tank brought in for that purpose.
The damaged tank was on a trailer, being towed by a large tractor eastward on Avalon Road. The trailer appeared to have turned onto its side, damaging the tank and leaking the white smoky gas. No residences were in the immediate area, and no one appeared to have been hurt.
Approaches to the scene on County J and Avalon Road/Highway 11 continue to be blocked by Rock County Sheriff's deputies and the State Patrol. Traffic is not being allowed through.
According to a sheriff's department news release: "Emergency personnel have cordoned off an approximately one square mile area. Unauthorized persons are being asked to leave this area and no unauthorized person(s) will be allowed to enter this area until the area is deemed clear. Emergency personnel are cleaning up the area now. "
Anyone in the area are asked to take the following precautions:
--Stay up wind (the wind is blowing from the Northeast)
--Many gases are heavier than air and will spread along ground and collect in low or confined areas, so stay clear of low-lying areas.
--Ventilate closed spaces before entering.
Livestock should be handled using the same guidelines as for humans.
Jun 12, 2009 at 7:42 a.m.
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Isn't this the second time they had an amonia spill on the country roads?
Jun 11, 2009 at 12:37 p.m.
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Just got back from my mother's ranch on J. County Sheriff is blocking access to J at the intersection of Cty O. I was allowed to pass, but only after convincing them that I didn't have a death wish. There's zero scent of ammonia out there. Thanks to the Gazette for reporting on this. I know there are several worried homeowners on J worrying about their animals.
Jun 11, 2009 at 12:36 p.m.
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I was out there and didn't see any livestock downwind of the accident. The roadblocks I saw seemed to be about a mile north of the scene on J and maybe half a mile or less west (right at the top of the Interstate off ramp) on Avalon. The wind seemed to be blowing to the south and west. -- Gazette reporter Frank Schultz
Jun 11, 2009 at 10:44 a.m.
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Anybody know what the perimeter of the block is? Also, any danger to livestock within a certain distance of the leak?
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