Acid Leak Shuts Down Southbound Tri-State Tollway

Southbound lanes of the Tri-State Tollway near 95th Street were shut down Tuesday afternoon, after a van cut off a truck carrying hydrochloric acid, causing it to tip and spill the liquid.

Interstate-294 was closed between 95th Street and 127th/Cicero Avenue.

All southbound lanes are being diverted at 95th Street. Two northbound lanes are closed to allow maintenance crews to reroute traffic between 95^th Street and the site of the accident, which happened around 12 p.m. near the Cicero Avenue exit, according to Illinois State Police.

Closures are expected to last through the evening rush hour. Tollway representatives advise southbound drivers planning to travel through the area to exit at I-55 and seek an alternate route.  Drivers coming from the Reagan Memorial Tollway (I-88) planning to travel through the area are advised to take the Veterans Memorial Tollway (I-355) to reach eastbound I-80.

The driver of the van made an illegal U-turn, pulling out in front of the truck, said Illinois State Trooper Michelle Kistulinec.

Both drivers suffered minor injuries, and refused transport to the hospital.

Hazmat crews were called to the scene.