Clinton bridge reopens after ammonia trailer crash closed it
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CLINTON, Iowa — Getting around in Clinton and across the river was difficult Wednesday afternoon when two accidents closed both Mississippi River bridges.
Firefighters were first called to the intersection of 19th Avenue North and North 2nd Street, just west of the North Bridge, about 2:45 p.m. when a 1,000-gallon tank of anhydrous ammonia fell off a trailer, causing a small leak near one of the pressure gauges, the Clinton Fire Department said.
Bridge traffic and several streets in the area were closed, and a few homes and businesses in a 330-foot radius were evacuated as a precaution, Division Chief Andrew McGovern said.
Firefighters were able to keep ammonia from entering the sewer system, and employees of Clinton Feed & Grain, the company transporting the tank, turned it upright and transferred the liquid to another tank.
No injuries were reported, and the scene was cleared about 5:30 p.m. so the bridge could reopen. The bridge carries Iowa 136 traffic from Clinton to Fulton, Ill.
Firefighters also were called to a minor three-car accident that closed the South Bridge about 3:45 p.m., cutting off U.S. 30 traffic briefly, McGovern said.
The threat of anhydrous ammonia spills is heightened during the spring planting season as farmers are transporting the fertilizer to their fields, Battalion Chief Creighton Regenwether said.
“It’s just that time of year,” he said.
Regenwether said sometimes both Clinton bridges end up closed when construction on one bridge sends all the traffic to the other, resulting in an accident, but it is rare.
“It’s just a temporary interruption of traffic,” he said.
Steven Martens can be contacted at (563) 659-2595 or smartens@qctimes.com.
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