Residents of Rowan County near Gold Hill found themselves under a shelter-in-place order following a tense situation yesterday afternoon when a truck hauling explosives overturned on High Rock Road. WCNC reports the incident occurred around 3 p.m., but details regarding the cause of the accident or the specific nature of the explosives remained unclear initially. Local emergency authorities responded swiftly, cordoning off the area and urging the public to remain indoors while they assessed the potential risk.
The Rockwell Rural Fire Department, along with the North Carolina State Highway Patrol (NCSHP), closed off the affected roadway, while employees from Orica, the company involved, arrived to assist with the cleanup operations. Blasting agents were carefully removed to reduce the risk of an explosion, and a minor leak of an oxidizer from the truck was contained. "No other property damage has been sustained and the driver did not sustain any injuries," NCSHP commented, and they have also indicated that speed does not appear to have been a contributing factor to the flip of the truck, as relayed by WSOCTV.
The shelter-in-place order imposed on residents and businesses within a one-mile radius was declared a purely precautionary measure and was soon lifted once the area was deemed secure. By the time of this latest reporting, the truck was repositioned upright, rendering the area cleared and High Rock Road reopened to traffic, as WBTV states, officials reassured the public that there was no longer an immediate threat to safety following the crash.
