Police say there was no risk to the public from last night’s chemical spill on the A19.
At around 5.30pm yesterday evening, a HGV loaded with bulk containers of chemical products was travelling south along the A19 from the Mandale area of Cleveland.
Police say a number of motorists in the Cleveland area reported a white substance on the road, accompanied by a foul chemical smell, to Cleveland Police who responded to the spill, closing the A19 in the Mandale area.
The HGV was quickly identified and left the A19 at Exelby Services in order for the spill to be investigated and contained.
North Yorkshire Police attended with Fire and Rescue and the ambulance, closing the A19 in both directions and the services, while the spill was assessed and dealt with by specialist contractors.
The southbound carriageway was reopened just after 9.30pm whilst the northbound carriageway remained closed due to pre-planned roadworks.
The road and services were cleaned and the vehicle recovered, before being fully reopened around 3am this morning.
A spokesperson for North Yorkshire Police said: “No one involved in the incident sustained injuries and the matter has been referred to the Health and Safety Executive and the Environment Agency for further investigation.
“Please be reassured there is no risk to the general public from this spillage.
“North Yorkshire Police would like to thank motorists for their cooperation whilst the incident was dealt with.”
What was the chemical that was spilled?