Lanes now clear after chemical spill in Bellaire

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- All main lanes on the Southwest Freeway are now open after a flammable chemical spill last night, but drivers heading inbound on the Southwest Freeway dealt with a major traffic problem Tuesday night.

Around 5pm, drivers honked to alert the driver of an 18-wheeler traveling northbound on 59 that his load was leaking.

The truck stopped near Bellaire and eventually all lanes of the Southwest Freeway northbound were shut down. A Houston Fire Department HazMat team responded.

Crews say they were dealing with three 55-gallon drums of Trimethylbenzene, a highly flammable substance that could be explosive and requires an evacuation of about 1,000 meters.

No one was hurt, though traffic inched through on one lane of the feeder road.

HFD District Chief Douglas Harrison said the main lanes should be open well before the morning commute.