Toxic gas from a tanker truck crash killed five people. Now, an Illinois town braces for more damage

The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. On Friday evening, about a half mile east of Teutopolis, Illinois, multiple vehicles, including a semi-truck “carrying approximately 7,500 gallons of anhydrous ammonia,” crashed on US Highway 40, state police wrote in a press release on Sunday. A National Transportation Safety Board board member Tom Chapman said, “Damage to the cargo tank resulted from collision of the tank with a parked utility trailer. Officials from the Environmental Protection Agency tested the air levels, police said, and “did not detect any levels of concern.” However, exposure to anhydrous ammonia at the crash site killed five, Effingham County Coroner Kim Rhodes said in a statement on Sunday evening. IDPH is also working on guidance regarding testing of private water wells in the immediate vicinity of the incident to check for possible contamination.” Illinois state police are investigating the cause of the crash and “Illinois EPA will ensure contamination resulting from the incident is properly addressed,” police wrote.