Small urea spill cleaned up near viaduct

Havre Daily News staff

The Montana Department of Transportation cleaned up a small urea spill near Havre's viaduct Thursday morning.

MDT Havre Superintendent Rob Gregory said a 250 gallon tote of the chemical, which is a diesel additive, was being transported in a flatbed pickup truck and it fell out while crossing the viaduct and spilled some of its contents.

Gregory said the chemical in question was not hazardous in the quantity that spilled and MDT and the Havre Fire Department got the area cordoned off and cleaned up quickly.

The Havre Fire Department command unit, a fire engine and an ambulance were dispatched at 10:02 a.m. Thursday to the chemical spill at Seventh Avenue and First Street. Havre Fire Department assessed the scene and blocked traffic until Montana Department of Transportation crews arrived and spread sand on the fluid to soak it up.

MDT remained at the scene until the sand could be removed and the street cleaned.

Gregory said, despite efforts to prevent it, some of the chemical got into a nearby storm drain, but it was removed in short order.

He said MDT and the fire department did a good job getting the spill cleaned up.