The ramp off Interstate 70 eastbound at Exit 3 into Hancock was closed for an extended period of time Thursday night as hazardous materials crews cleaned up a “black liquid” that spilled from a truck after it struck a guardrail, a Washington County Emergency Services dispatcher said.
The material was determined to be some type of cosmetic ink and only dangerous if someone came in contact with the substance, the dispatcher said. The substance was not flammable, and fumes or vapors were not a major concern.
The driver of the truck and a Hancock police officer were taken to the hospital as a precaution after coming in contact with the liquid, the dispatcher said.
Officials from Maryland Department of the Environment were notified, and cleanup was expected to take several hours.
It was unclear exactly how much of the liquid spilled onto the roadway and nearby soil, but the dispatcher said it was “a good bit” and not just a small leak.
— C.J. Lovelace
