The acid spill that shut down Highway 101 in San Jose on Thursday and snarled traffic for hours throughout the South Bay could have been far worse, authorities said.
The tanker truck spill was caused by a leak and not an overturn, so it was easier for crews to contain and clean up.
San Jose Fire Capt. Michael Shaw said about 100 gallons of the sulfuric and nitric acid mixture ended up on the ground, and an additional 200 gallons were captured in containment vessels. The rest of the acid was pumped directly from the leaking truck to another tanker, he said.
''This spill was on the dirt, so it was relatively easy to pick up,'' Shaw said. ''You can get a loader in to scoop it up and put it in barrels, then transport it to an industrial waste site.
''We were able to collect the fluids that were leaking, so we were able to stop the vast majority of the fuming. That really minimizes the problem for us. As long as you can keep shoving tubs under there, you can handle it for a while.''
The trouble began shortly after 9 a.m. when a truck driver hauling 538 gallons of the acid mixture pulled over to the side of the southbound highway just north of Bernal Road to try to fix a corroded valve. Alarmed motorists called the CHP to complain of a stinging sensation, which one driver described as ''breathing in bleach.''
The closing of 101 -- the main north-south route through the county -- in both directions lasted more than four hours and affected motorists from Monterey to Morgan Hill. As the day wore on, the traffic headaches spread to highways 680, 880, 17, 87 and 85 as drivers sought alternate routes. The freeway was reopened in time for the evening commute.
Traffic was diverted onto Monterey Road, which runs parallel to 101 to the west, while the San Jose Fire Department worked with the CHP and contract cleanup workers to contain the leak.
''It was definitely not the worst we've ever seen,'' said veteran KCBS traffic reporter Elaine McKay. ''Honestly, the CHP and hazmat crews did a great job of clearing things quickly. With Monterey Highway so close for an easy north-south alternate, that really helped.''
Shaw said the high concentration of the acid indicated it was most likely used as an industrial cleaner.
''It's Drano-type product, but probably 100 times more concentrated,'' Shaw said. ''It's pretty serious stuff.''
Just inhaling the fumes at that concentration can cause anywhere from irritation in the eyes, nose and throat to a severe respiratory reaction, Shaw said. As a precaution, residents in 50 nearby homes were told to stay indoors until the spill was cleaned up.
CHP Officer Chris Armstrong said the highway was closed because sulfuric acid is ''an extreme inhalation hazard.''
However, authorities on the scene said there appeared to be minimal impact to the surrounding community. An air monitoring test taken at 11:35 a.m. showed no sign of acid in the air.
The truck driver, Rafael Padilla of Stockton, was taken to Santa Clara Valley Medical Center for observation. He inhaled acid vapor and some of the acid splashed on his clothes, but he didn't sustain any serious injuries and was released.
There was no record of any problems with California Tank Lines, the registered operator of the truck, over the last 15 years, said CHP Golden Gate Division spokesman Wayne Ziese.
CHP and San Jose fire officials did not have any estimate of how many hazardous materials trucks travel 101 through San Jose. Some 80,000 trucks of all types carrying all sorts of cargo travel that route each month, the CHP said. The fire department estimates that as many as half carry substances that could be considered hazardous.
Distributed by the Associated Press
