TUCSON, Arizona (AP) — This week’s deadly truck accident, which caused a hazardous materials spill southeast of downtown Tucson this week, does not appear to have been caused by high speed, drugs or alcohol, Department of Public Health officials said Thursday. Arizona security.

Authorities said at a press conference that 54-year-old truck driver Ricky Immel was driving from his home state of Nevada to Alabama on Tuesday afternoon with a load of liquid Nitric Acid packs when his vehicle veered off the road and rolled onto its left side while then to the median. Immel was later pronounced dead at the scene.

The cause of the accident and Immel’s death are under investigation.

Immel was traveling with his service dog, who will be reunited with his wife, officials said, without specifying what type of assistance the animal was trained for.

A major freeway in southern Arizona reopened in both directions Wednesday night, with officials saying people living in the area can safely return to their homes or go outside a day after the crash sent caustic red and yellow plumes into the desert sky. orders were issued on the spot.

Less than 2 miles (3.2 km) of Interstate 10 was closed in both directions for more than 24 hours after a tractor unit pulling a box trailer crashed, spilling about 40,000 pounds (18,200 kg) of Nitric Acid Packs on an asphalt roadway. through dry earth scattered with a brush.

The Arizona derailment comes as Ohio residents continue to express concern over the release of toxic chemicals aboard a freight train that derailed on Feb. 3 and left 50 wagons in a fiery, mangled mess. There were no casualties, and officials later ordered the surrounding area to be evacuated. Residents of this state are concerned about the possible impact of debris on health.

In Arizona, the Pima County Health Department and Poison Control Center recommended that anyone who may have been in contact with nitric acid for more than 15 minutes receive a medical examination if they develop breathing problems. They said that symptoms could appear 24 hours after infection.

Health officials said people who simply drove or passed through the accident and the chemical plume should not have been harmed.

Nitric acid is a highly corrosive colorless liquid used in the production of ammonium nitrate for fertilizers and in the production of plastics and dyes.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website states that exposure to nitric acid can cause irritation to the eyes, skin, and mucous membranes. Depending on how long a person is exposed to the material and to what extent, it can also cause delayed pulmonary edema, pneumonitis, bronchitis, and dental erosion.

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