5 Killed In IL Tanker Crash Died From Ammonia Exposure: ME

SPRINGFIELD, IL — The five people who were killed last month after a tanker overturned just east of Teutopolis all died from exposure to caustic anhydrous ammonia and sustained severe chemical burns to their bodies, according to autopsies, the results of which were announced on Monday.

Effingham County Coroner Kim Rhodes said in a release on Monday that the five victims, including two children, sustained severe chemical burns to their bodies, including their eyes and respiratory systems, autopsies showed.

The crash happened on U.S. Highway 40 about a half-mile east of Teutopolis in Effingham County around 9:25 p.m. on Sept. 29 officials. A tanker carrying anhydrous ammonia rolled into a ditch during the crash and spilled more than half of its 7,500-gallon load, according to the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency.

The five victims were 7-year-old Rosie Bryan and 10-year-old Walker Bryan, both from Beecher City; their father, 34-year-old Kenneth Bryan of Teutopolis; 31-year-old Vasile Cricovan of Twinsburg, Ohio, and 67-year-old Danny J. Smith, of New Haven, Missouri, officials announced last month.

A tanker truck was carrying caustic anhydrous ammonia when it, and hit a utility trailer parked just off the highway, officials said. The crash may have started when another vehicle tried to pass the chemical-laden truck, he said.

The tank carrying anhydrous ammonia hit the trailer hitch, which punched a six-inch hole in the chemical container, officials said. About 500 local residents were evacuated from the area immediately following the crash.

Seven other people were injured in the incident and two remain hospitalized in critical condition, Rhodes said, while the other five have been released after being treated for their injuries.