Hydrochloric acid spill in Minneapolis prompts hazmat response, road closures

MINNEAPOLIS — Crews have cleaned up a hydrochloric acid spill that occurred on a Minneapolis parkway Thursday afternoon, fire officials said.

The spill occurred around 11:15 a.m. at a business on the 400 block of St. Anthony Parkway, near Columbia Golf Course, according to the Minneapolis Fire Department. Employees at the business were attempting to load a container onto a truck and it fell and broke open, spilling about 150 gallons of acid.

At 12:30 p.m., the department said the acid had been contained and neutralized. Sewer workers from the Public Works Department flushed the sewer.

Shortly after that, the department said the scene would be cleared soon, and that the parkway would "eventually" open up. It was closed at Central Avenue for safety reasons.

Eight people working at the scene were evaluated for "respiratory irritation," officials said, and one was hospitalized in stable condition.

Hydrochloric acid is a lab and industrial chemical that is highly corrosive.