Lanes of Highway 23 southbound in Toronto closed after chlorine leak in accident

Southbound lanes of Highway 23 near Hillcrest Drive in Thousand Oaks were closed Saturday afternoon following an apparent chlorine spill in a traffic accident.

The accident was reported around 12:40 p.m. and involved multiple vehicles, including a pool cleaner’s truck, according to California Highway Patrol reports. The accident scene was north of Hillcrest Drive.

No injuries were reported.

The Ventura County Fire Department reported that they found bottles that appeared to contain chlorine at the scene of the accident. They called a hazardous materials response. Reports say hazardous liquids were leaking during the accident.

Initial reports to the CHP reported large amounts of cleaning fluid in the roadways; one caller reported chlorine spills that caused gas to rise from the roadway.

Authorities have closed all southbound lanes on this section.

CHP personnel have closed southbound ramps to 23 at Janss Road and possibly Avenida de Los Arboles.

According to the minutes, Caltrans officials later closed the Highway 101 crossing ramps.

As of 1:30 p.m., the dispatcher had not yet received an estimated reopening date.

As of 1:30 p.m., traffic was still backed up to Avenida de Los Arboles

By 2:15 p.m., CHP officers had already directed numerous vehicles off the closed road via the ramps on Janss Road.

Previously, stranded motorists had reported to dispatchers a chaotic scene in which drivers turned around and drove the wrong way onto the southbound lane to deviate from the route. Some reported people getting out of their cars and walking on the highway, while drivers reportedly used the right shoulder to pass stopped cars.

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