Tanker Spill Closes I-85 at Carnesville Exit Sunday Evening

Crews continued to work Monday morning to clear a tanker that overturned Sunday on I-85 NB at the 160 Exit in Carnesville.

By 7a Monday, the tanker had been removed and I-85 NB was re-opened.

According to Franklin County Sheriff Steve Thomas, it happened about 5p Sunday.

At first, it was thought the tanker was leaking fuel after employees at area businesses said they smelled toxic fumes.

A hazmat team was called in from Gainesville who determined the spill was some kind of chemical called methyl acrylate.  Methacrylates are derivatives of methacrylic acid that is flammable and an explosion risk.

Methacrylates are common monomers in polymer plastics, forming the acrylate polymers. Methacrylates are as a resin in some windscreen repair kits, dental materials and as bone cement for fixing prosthetic devices in orthopedic surgery, according to Wikipedia.

The Petro/Flying J Travel Center was shut down and employees evacuated along with other businesses on both sides of Highway 51 at the 160 exit.

By 8p G-DOT issued an alert to area residents and business owners within a one-mile radius of the accident to be prepared to evacuate.

By 10:30p the spill had been cleaned up but local fire departments and crews continue overnight to pull the overturned tanker up from the ditch.

WLHR News is continuing to follow this story and will bring you more information as it becomes available.