Police & Fire Transportation

HazMat Response Teams Respond to Truck Near Haymarket Carrying Radioactive Materials

Video: CBS Boston video report on the HazMat Radioactive Material Scare today near Haymarket.

Bolstering the case for banning cut-through hazmat trucks from the North End and downtown Boston, a truck carrying radioactive materials caused the shutdown of the Haymarket MBTA station and surrounding area this afternoon.  The hazmat truck was stopped when Boston Police noticed a radioactive placard on the side of the truck without a permit or prior notification. Once stopped, officials used detectors to verify the radioactivity although officials say measured levels were not high enough to cause harm to humans.

The incident raises concerns regarding a major hazmat truck routing decision pending at MassDOT, the State’s transportation authority.  Hazmat trucks are currently allowed to cut-through several North End and downtown Boston streets to save time versus the safer option of using Route 128 and other expressways outside of the city. After a comprehensive public safety study, the City of Boston has requested hazmat trucks in the city be limited to only those doing business here. Most gasoline tankers on Boston streets are coming from the Everett gas tanks to deliver to the south and western suburbs.

Read more on the HazMat Truck issue.