A car crash in Pratt County causes to an anhydrous ammonia leak, which forced dozens from their home Friday.
"It doesn't take but a small whiff of it, it will take your breathe away and can do lung damage," said Pratt County Sheriff Vernon Chinn. "Anhydrous ammonia is extremely dangerous."
US 54 was shut down through Cullison several times, as crews tried to clean up the chemical and move the leaking tank. First when the accident happened and again when the tank was removed from the scene. Residents were evacuated for a short time, but have since returned home.
Chinn says the crash happened when a pick-up truck carrying the tank pulled in front of a semi-tractor trailer traveling west on U.S. 54. The truck flipped and the ammonia container ended up in the middle of the highway.
"We're right in this construction zone out here where they are resurfacing 54, this is right in the area where they are stopping all the traffic," Chinn said. "It couldn't have been a worse place to get hit."
Closing the highway caused a major back-up and slowed down travelers like Amy Trevino.
"We just came to this stop and it really sucks because we've got to get to Ulysses," Trevino said.
Still, she's glad authorities took the precautions, even if it did delay her trip.
The pick-up driver was critically injured in the crash, and is being treated at Pratt Medical Center.
