Nitric acid truck overturns in Krefeld, sirens sound and A57 closed

Overturned truck leaks nitric acid

Overnight into Friday, 6 November, a truck loaded with nitric acid tipped over on the slip road to the A57 at Berliner Straße in Krefeld. The fire brigade said the highly corrosive acid was escaping from the vehicle, and the substance can cause burns to the eyes, skin and airways. The driver was injured in the crash and is being treated in hospital. Nitric acid is a basic industrial chemical used mainly in fertilisers and explosives, and authorities warned that an uncontrolled release could cause serious health problems. The accident happened on the slip road in the direction of Nijmegen.

Citywide warnings

Shortly after 3 a.m. on Friday, 6 November, police and rescue services triggered the WarnApp Nina alert at its highest level for the affected area, warning of 'extreme danger'. The warning covers parts of the Uerdingen, Bockum and Linn districts, and a cell broadcast was sent to the same area. Sirens were sounded across the whole city. The warning told residents to go indoors at once, close windows and doors, switch off ventilation and air-conditioning, and keep the radio on. The fire brigade said it did not rule out evacuations within a 1,000-metre radius of the site, but none were currently planned.

Traffic and rail disruption

The A57 is fully closed in both directions between Krefeld-Gartenstadt and Krefeld-Oppum. Rail traffic in the region has been halted on official orders, and the rail line is also closed near the accident site. Passengers face delays, partial cancellations and full cancellations, with timetable details available on zuginfo.nrw and bahn.de. The fire brigade expects the closure of the A57 in the Krefeld-Zentrum area to last through the morning. The disruption is expected to affect commuters from across the Lower Rhine region.

Schools and the response effort

Some schools and kindergartens are to stay closed for the whole day. Around 150 emergency responders are working to seal the leak and pump the acid out of the truck, and specialised hazardous-materials units of the fire brigade are on site. The fire brigade has cordoned off the accident area within a 1,000-metre radius. One report from the scene described a gas cloud forming, and measuring vehicles from across the region are on their way. The response was still under way when the reports were published.