Spill

Acid sloshed from a truck on Powers Wednesday morning, sending two drivers to the emergency room. Now the Colorado Springs Fire Department is urging hundreds of motorists to check their vehicles for damage.

Hazardous materials crews were called out around 7 a.m. Wednesday to two areas of Powers Boulevard. A truck dropped nitric acid at the intersection of Powers and Airport, and then just down from there it spilled again at Powers and Aeroplaza.

Two drivers commuting through those areas were treated for respiratory trouble.

Springs Hazmat says the tanker had a small disc on top that was supposed to keep it sealed. But the disc ruptured, and each time the driver slowed down, the liquid would slosh forward and spill out onto the road. Springs Hazmat says nitric acid is a common chemical with a lot of uses. But if it's inhaled it can cause respiratory problems. And this acid was about 67.5% pure, meaning it was very strong.

Another concern from the accident is potential damage to cars that drove through the acid. Springs Fire says if you drove through the area, you should take your vehicle to an automatic car wash that has an undercarriage wash. They say the acid could be corrosive to your car. Hazmat officials say you don't want to wash your car yourself, because of the risk of splashback.