Sulfuric acid spills on Atlanta highway; 2 taken to hospital after containers overturn

Containers containing gallons of a concrete hardening agent with sulfuric acid spilled onto an Atlanta highway Thursday evening, sending two people to the hospital and closing multiple lanes for nearly eight hours.

Two Georgia Highway Emergency Response Operators were exposed to the substance before the fire department arrived, a news release said. One person walked through the contaminated area while the other walked through the area, smelled and touched the substance.

Both people were decontaminated by firefighters and taken to the hospital.

Authorities got a call about a spill around 5:00 p.m. Thursday on I-285 at Arthur Langford EB Parkway SW, north of Arthur Langford Parkway, the Atlanta Fire Rescue Department reported in a news release.

Once firefighters arrived, they sectioned off a hot zone so they could identify the substance spilling from two overturned containers. Firefighters think the gallons measured about 250 gallons each. They tested the substance and learned it is a concrete hardening agent containing sulfuric acid. 

Traffic was temporarily shut down on the northbound lanes of I-285 so more vehicles wouldn’t be put at risk. Hazmat personnel eventually showed up and neutralized and cleaned the contaminated area.

Throughout the day, the Atlanta-Fulton County Emergency Management Agency posted updates on the situation, warning drivers to take alternate routes.

“This closure will be (a) long duration, until the spill can be fully cleaned up,” the agency posted on X, formerly Twitter.

What is sulfuric acid?

Sulfuric acid is a substance that can damage the skin, eyes, teeth and lungs. It is typically used to make other chemicals, explosives and glue.

Severe exposure can sometimes lead to death, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

The CDC said workers who are at risk of being exposed to sulfuric acid include those who work in areas where coal, oil or gas are burned, mechanics who work with dirty batteries and even plumbers who come in contact with toilet bowl cleaners mixed with water.