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Chemical Spill Causes Street Closures in Southeast

Updated: 12:31 p.m.

Streets have reopened after a sulfuric acid spill at the Capitol Power Plant caused the unit block of E Street Southeast to be closed off Thursday morning.

“A vendor’s truck experienced a small chemical leak,” Architect of the Capitol spokeswoman Eva Malecki wrote in an e-mail. “The substance was immediately contained and neutralized. There were no injuries.”

Capitol Police spokeswomen Sgt. Kimberly Schneider confirmed in an e-mail that there have been no injuries or evacuations.

The Capitol Police hazardous material cleanup team, D.C. Fire and the AOC have employees at the scene continuing to investigate, Schneider said.

Canal Street between South Capitol and E streets, and E Street between South Capitol Street and New Jersey Avenue were closed. The company that spilled chemical will be responsible for the cleanup.

The plant, located at the corner of E and Canal Streets Southeast, provides steam and chilled water service to heat and cool 23 facilities located on or near Capitol Hill. The Architect’s office maintains the facilities.

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