Hazardous spill shuts down freeway in Perris; evacuations ordered
Hundreds of residents near Perris remained evacuated Friday, Aug. 12, and a major freeway was closed as fire officials monitored a rail car that began leaking a hazardous chemical for unknown reasons and which could potentially explode if the material overheated.Authorities said the situation could extend for as many as three days due to the hazardous nature of the styrene chemical in the damaged rail car.The spill at Harvill and Oleander avenues was first reported around 7:30 p.m. Thursday and led to the closure of the Interstate 215, south of Van Buren and north of Ramona Expressway, according to the Riverside County Fire Department.Harvill Avenue was closed, and evacuations were ordered in an area north of Markham Street, east of Donna Lane, south of Nandina Avenue and west