The collision occurred at around 9am on road 56 north of Västerås. The victim was driving a car when it collided with the tanker. The driver of the tanker has, according to police, managed to escape the collision without injury.
The tanker was loaded with the toxic chemical ammonia which began to leak over the road. Nearby properties have been evacuated as a 300 metre security zone is imposed.
According to police spokesperson Börje Stömberg, the chemical can be very dangerous to inhale and all nearby properties downwind of the accident have been evacuated. Police confirmed that the properties are “limited in number” and are located to the west of the accident, on a ridge near a large field.
“It is a question of a maximum of ten houses, but how many people are in the properties I don’t know,” Strömberg said to news agency TT.
According to reports, the tanker was still leaking ammonia towards midday on Friday and it was as yet unclear how long it would take to clean up the area and tow away the damaged vehicles.
Road 56 is completely closed at the scene of the accident and traffic is being diverted via alternative routes.