Cargo transport - A1: Hours close by in Unna - Warning after Lkw-Gasleak
A poorly identified hazardous goods transporter with leaking, easily ignitable gas disrupted traffic on the A1 motorway between the heavily trafficked Kamener Kreuz and Dortmund/Unna for several hours. A full closure in the direction of Cologne was first lifted on Thursday evening, and later also in the direction of Bremen. Since around 6:00 pm, the A1 has been drivable in both directions, according to police via X (formerly Twitter). The leak in the undicht tanker truck was sealed, and the Ethylene leak was stopped.
Transporter sealed and maneuverable
The driver was able to roll the hazardous goods transporter off the motorway in the early afternoon. The vehicle is maneuverable and tight, and the gas will be pumped off at a nearby depot in a professional manner, as city spokesperson Anna Gemünd described to dpa on inquiry. Previously, it was unclear whether the liquefied Ethylene might have to be controlled burned. This procedure is considered very time-consuming. An evacuation within a radius of about 300 meters would have been necessary. With a prolonged closure of the motorway, significant consequences would have had to be expected, according to ADAC.
Evacuation not necessary
An evacuation in the vicinity is no longer necessary, the spokesperson said. Around 400 residents were informed about the possibility of an evacuation in advance. Measurements have shown that a health hazard cannot be ruled out. A warning to keep doors and windows closed in the immediate vicinity will be withdrawn soon, Gemünd announced in the afternoon. Ethylene is used in the chemical industry or also for the production of plastics and paints.
On the cordoned-off A1, a large-scale operation had taken place. An expert had examined the tanker in detail. Several technical options for removing the Ethylene from the truck with a ten-tonne volume were available as possibilities.
Long closure would have been problematic
The affected section of the A1 belongs to the most heavily trafficked motorway sections in Germany, according to ADAC. It is fundamentally very dusty and ranks among the top 10 in Germany in terms of traffic jams at bottlenecks. In the event of a prolonged full closure, it would have also had consequences for the alternate routes.
The route on the A1 leads to the North and Baltic Seas - a popular holiday destination for NRW residents. In addition, there is the professional traffic - the Friday afternoon is usually the busiest time of the week. In addition, Hesse, Rhineland-Palatinate, and Saarland will start their holidays on the coming Monday, which would have already caused full roads on the Friday afternoon.
Long-distance traffic was rerouted extensively, for example via the A33 and A44 or via the A43. The tanker was at a standstill on the central north-south connection in the direction of Bremen, a technical fault was the cause of the Ethylene leak problem.
- The incident involving the Cargo Transporter triggered a full closure on the A1 motorway between Kamener Kreuz and Dortmund/Unna.
- The hazardous goods transporter, with a ten-tonne volume, disrupted traffic in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.
- ADAC highlighted that a prolonged full closure on the A1 would have significant consequences due to its high traffic volume and popularity as a route to the North and Baltic Seas.
- The A1 is one of the most heavily trafficked motorway sections in Germany, particularly during Friday afternoons and the upcoming holiday season in neighboring states.
- Emergency services were alerted to the accidents on the A1 due to the leaking, easily ignitable gas from the cargo transporter.
- The police, as well as professional organizations like ADAC, closely monitored the situation on the A1 via their respective communication channels, like Twitter.
- As a result of the expert examination, several technical options for removing the Ethylene from the tanker were deemed viable, including rerouting long-distance traffic via alternative routes like the A33 and A44 or A43.
- The Leaked Ethylene from the transporter caused a technical fault that resulted in a full closure in the direction of Bremen, displacing cargo transportation and causing significant traffic disruptions.
