A busy Cobb County roadway that was shut down after a Monday afternoon chemical spill reopened in time for Tuesday’s morning commute.
Lanes in both directions of Cobb Parkway, also known as U.S. 41, were closed into the evening Monday due to the afternoon chemical spill in Marietta. Cobb Parkway was shut down for about two miles from Bells Ferry Road to Allgood Road in both directions, and some businesses in the area were temporarily evacuated, according to Officer Dave Baldwin with Marietta police.
By 11 p.m., southbound lanes of Cobb Parkway had reopened, and the northbound lanes were opened to traffic a few hours later.
Investigators believe the load shifted on a truck heading southbound on Cobb Parkway at the Canton Road connector, causing the truck to overturn, Baldwin said. That caused just under 50,000 pounds of sodium hydroxide, a liquid and potentially dangerous chemical, to leak onto the roadway, Baldwin said.
The truck’s driver, employed by Tennessee Commercial Warehouse Inc. out of Nashville, Tenn., was not injured. No other injuries were reported, Baldwin said.
The Hometown Inn, on Cobb Parkway, and other neighboring business were evacuated for a few hours as a precaution. Several side streets also were blocked, according to police. Heavy wreckers were on the scene and were able to upright the truck shortly after 6 p.m.
An environmental company was also at the scene to assist with cleanup, Baldwin said.
Sodium hydroxide can irritate the skin, eyes and nasal passages, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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