Oregon HazMat Crews Handle Massive Liquid Oxygen Spill

March 6, 2003
The freezing oxygen turned one woman's car into a ball of fire when she drove into the flowing, gaseous cloud formed as the liquid evaporated.
All lanes of Interstate 205 reopened just before 3 p.m. Thursday, said ODOT officials. Traffic is moving through the area following hours of work by cleanup crews to make the roadway safe again after a massive liquid oxygen spill.

Columbia Blvd. and its onramps remain closed, as does nearby Sandy Blvd.

Airport MAX service has been restored.

Crews shut down I-205 early Thursday after a semi truck overturned at the Columbia Blvd. overpass, spilling hazardous liquid oxygen onto the asphalt and transforming the roadway into a foggy mess.

The freezing oxygen turned one woman's car into a ball of fire when she drove into the flowing, gaseous cloud formed as the liquid evaporated. Dana Domenigoni managed to escape unharmed. Her car, however, appears to have melted into the roadway.

Neither the truck driver nor the vehicle driver sustained injuries, said officials, and the truck did not hit any vehicles.

The semi truck was carrying 4,500 gallons of liquid oxygen when it overturned at about 6 a.m. Thursday. It is still unclear why the semi overturned, but officials said the driver was turning right to go eastbound on Columbia Blvd. when the truck toppled over.

Fire, police and HAZMAT crews were on the scene.

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