‘No hazardous material exposure’ after containers fall from shipping vehicle near Truman VA

EDITOR'S NOTE: The story has been corrected to note that the material was no longer radioactive.

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Columbia Fire Department determined there was no hazardous material exposure after empty containers of hazardous material fell off a shipping company vehicle on Wednesday.

Jeffrey Hoelscher, a spokesman for the Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans’ Hospital, said two containers of hazardous material used for medical scans fell off a shipping vehicle while it was turning onto Stadium Boulevard from Monk Drive at about 9:20 a.m. Wednesday.

Hoelscher wrote in an email that another driver tried to avoid hitting one container but still hit the second, causing it to get caught between the tire and wheel well. The driver pulled into the Truman Memorial Veterans' Hospital parking garage.

"Truman VA staff saw the driver pull into the garage and offered assistance," Hoelscher wrote. "They recognized the hazardous material warning label and immediately contacted VA Police and Boone County Joint Communication for support."

A Boone County Joint Communication alert was sent out at 10:14 a.m. about traffic congestion around Monk Drive and Stadium.

Hoelscher said the Columbia Fire Department's hazmat team verified the containers of hazardous materials used in medical scans were empty and no longer a threat.

The scene was clear just before 11 a.m.