On Friday night September 29, 2023, a semi-truck carrying 7,500 gallons of anhydrous ammonia was involved in a traffic accident on Highway 40 in Teutopolis, about 93 miles southeast of Springfield. The accident and subsequent leak of anhydrous ammonia, led to five fatalities and eleven injuries as well as the evacuation of nearly 500 people from the east side of the rural community of Teutopolis.
On January 2, 2024, Niemerg presented certificates of recognition to the multiple teams of first responders at a ceremony held at the Teutopolis Fire Protection District. Those recognized included:
- Clark County Ambulance Service
- Dieterich Fire Protection District
- Effingham County Sheriff’s Office
- Greenup Area Fire Protection District EMS (Emergency Management Service)
- Jasper County EMS (Emergency Management Service)
- Montrose Fire Protection District
- Teutopolis Fire Protection District
- Teutopolis Police Department
Among the fatalities were a adult and two children from a local family, plus a motorist from Missouri and another from Ohio. The driver of the anhydrous ammonia tanker was among the eleven people injured and airlifted out for medical treatment.
According to state police, more traffic than usual was on the roadway at the time of the incident because drivers on Interstate 70 had been diverted around the scene of an earlier crash. Authorities initially evacuated a 2-square-mile area on the east side of town. Two regional hazardous materials teams, 15 emergency response departments and nearly 100 of their crew members responded to the spill.