UPDATE (5:55 a.m. Dec. 18): The roadway has reopened to traffic for the Thursday morning commute.

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UPDATE (10:19 p.m. Dec. 17): Testing on scene has confirmed the material was kerosene, which was being transported in a 275-gallon industrial container. At high exposure levels, kerosene vapors can cause temporary symptoms such as headaches or respiratory irritation, but air monitoring confirmed there was no ongoing risk to the public. Fire crews safely contained the spill and TxDOT has been notified for cleanup.

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ORIGINAL RELEASE: Emergency crews are responding to a spill in the 500 block of West Palm Valley Blvd. in Round Rock — on Highway 79 near the Dairy Queen, just east of I-35 — after a container fell from a vehicle into the roadway Wednesday evening. Highway 79 is currently closed from the I-35 frontage road to Mays Street.

The Round Rock Fire Department is on scene, and Williamson County HAZMAT has been requested to assist. As a precaution, motorists are encouraged to avoid the area and expect traffic delays while crews work to assess the situation and determine the contents of the container.

The public should avoid the immediate area until the scene is cleared. One individual in the immediate area was being evaluated on scene due to inhalation. Anyone who was in the immediate area during the spill should move to fresh air and seek medical attention if they experience worsening symptoms.

Public safety personnel are continuing to monitor the situation and will provide updates as more information becomes available.