(TEUTOPOLIS) The National Transportation Safety Board has released its final report on the September 29th, 2023 traffic crash, east of Teutopolis, along Route 40, that led to the release of anhydrous ammonia, resulting in five fatalities, serious injuries to nine other people, and minor injuries to several others. The NTSB determined that the probable cause of the accident was due to the unsafe passing maneuver by a teenage driver that caused the semi-truck driver to initiate evasive action that resulted in the loss of his vehicle control and rolling over. Contributing to the severity of the crash was the subsequent impact of the overturned cargo tank with a parked utility trailer that resulted in the release of anhydrous ammonia, therefore causing the death and injuries to all the parties involved that day.
