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After some residents in San Jacinto County were urged to evacuate this morning, after a chemical tanker carrying hazardous materials crashed and shut down parts of the highway, a bus driver and 29 students had to be treated after driving through an area near the sulfur dioxide leak.
Investigators with the San Jacinto County Sheriff's Office say the tanker crashed and flipped on FM 1725 near Highway 150 and FM 3081.
So far, up to 80 homes have been affected.
It’s unclear what led up to the crash, but deputies confirmed via social media that sulfur oxide was spilled in the roadway. The street had been shut down within a mile of the crash site and residents are asked to avoid the area while crews work to investigate and clean up the wreckage.
In an update, Sgt. Tommy Lattner with the Texas DPS said the crash happened around 6:30 a.m. The 18-wheel big rig was going northbound on FM 1725 when it left the roadway and overturned, causing a rupture in the tank. The driver died in the crash.
The tanker was carrying approximately 2,800 gallons of sulfur dioxide. The chemical can have serious health effects including breathing problems, skin irritation, and eye damage if exposed at high levels.