According to CNN from Oct 1st:
At least five people were killed and parts of an Illinois neighborhood were evacuated due to a Friday crash involving a semi-truck carrying thousands of gallons of anhydrous ammonia.
The truck was carrying about 7,500 gallons of the toxic substance at the time of the wreck in Effingham County, according to the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency. The agency said early estimates say more than half of that – about 4,000 gallons – were released.
…
Parts of Teutopolis, a village in south-central Illinois, were evacuated “due to the plume from the ammonia leak” after the crash Friday night on US Highway 40, about a half mile east of Teutopolis, Illinois State Police said..
See full article.
Anhydrous ammonia is the one gas rated as almost as hazardous as HF. But think of the tanker trucks delivering HF to our local refineries. In this area, approximately 12 tanker trucks per mo. each deliver about 36k lb. of modified hydrofluoric acid (MHF) from Louisiana to the Torrance and Valero Wilmington refineries. That is almost 3 quarters of the main holding tank at the refinery!
And if there was a HF release, the resulting vapor cloud could reach many miles in any downwind direction. For example, in 2021 an HF tanker overturned in China, killing one and releasing an unknown amount of HF. Fortunately it was in a rural area.
Tanker trucks are involved in accidents more often than we realize. Overall, in 2017 there were 452 large truck accidents where the cargo was released. Remember, the danger from MHF is just as great outside the refinery as inside. In the volumes it is stored, it should NOT be used if there is ANY alternative. And we know there are numerous viable commercially-available alternatives.
Torrance Refinery Action Alliance 