MARTINEZ (KRON) — Crews were working to clean up a hazardous material spill Wednesday morning in Martinez.
The truck carrying pool chemicals was involved in a crash at 8:19 a.m. in the area of Pacheco Boulevard and Veale Avenue.
Two cars were crashed on Pacheco Boulevard. One of the cars was a pickup truck carrying boxes filled with acid and some other material.
When the crash happened, the materials spilled from the boxes and mixed forming chlorine gas.
“Several chemicals common to pool maintenance were spilled and some mixed creating a poisonous cloud of chlorine gas. That triggered a shelter in place for nearby homes and portions of nearby Shell refinery. The drivers of both vehicles were injured and transported. Neither of them were exposed to any of the materials that were released that created the hazardous materials incident,” CoCo County fire spokesman George Laing said.
A hazardous material protocol is being followed and authorities are asking residents to avoid the area.
Pacheco Boulevard is closed between Palm Avenue and Howe Drive as crews clean up the material.
A woman suffered minor injuries in the crash and has been taken to the hospital. Another victim has also been taken to the hospital for injuries.
The HazMat crews had the chemical spill cleaned up shortly after noon.