Local Briefly

Published 10:58 pm Tuesday, May 6, 2008

Chemical spill closes northbound I-5

EVERETT — Northbound I-5 was closed for an hour Tuesday after a semi spilled around two gallons of hydrogen peroxide on the highway near the 41st Street exit in Everett.

Traffic was backed up all the way to the Everett Mall exit when the road reopened shortly before 5 p.m.

No one was injured, according to Sgt. Harlan Jackson of the State Patrol.

The Sutter, Ill.-based truck was carting a tank of hydrogen peroxide to the Kimberly-Clark tissue plant in Everett.

“The driver either did not have the top lid of the container closed properly, or it became dislodged,” Jackson said. “When he slammed on his breaks for traffic, about two gallons sloshed over the opening of the top of the tanker and spilled onto I-5.”

Everett firefighters diluted the chemical, which was slightly more concentrated than the hydrogen peroxide sold in many pharmacies.

The State Patrol is investigating the spill.

Marysville: State Patrol arrests 41

Washington State Patrol troopers said they arrested 41 people for suspected drunken driving over the Cinco de Mayo holiday weekend in Snohomish County.

Beginning Friday, troopers were on the lookout for anyone who may have had too much to drink while enjoying the holiday that celebrates Mexican history and heritage, said Sgt. Kirk Rudeen, a State Patrol spokesman.

Last year, troopers made 43 arrests around Cinco de Mayo in the county.

The State Patrol did not investigate any serious or fatal crashes during the weekend, Rudeen said.

From Herald staff reports