I have been working with Ron Toreki, a division member who posts to 
DCHAS-L frequently, to automate the process of collecting hazmat 
headlines and improving the layout of the daily DCHAS-L postings. 
Today's listings has a new format, which is based on improvements that 
take place mostly behind the scenes. These improvements have focused on 
automating the process of identifying the event's tags by computer 
scanning text before I check the computer's nominations.

Anyway, we are very interested in hearing comments people have on the 
format of the information below or other suggestions for improving the 
value of this process for the DCHAS membership.

Thanks for your interest in DCHAS!

- Ralph

Chemical Safety Headlines =46rom Google
Monday, May 9, 2011 8:15:01 AM
 
Table of Contents (16 articles)
 
               ODOR PROMPTS PARTIAL HOTEL EVACUATION IN DOWNTOWN HOUSTON 
| ABC13.COM
               Tags: us_TX, other, release, injury, chlorine
 
               WHDH-TV - MENDON POLICE INVESTIGATE EXPLODING BOTTLES
               Tags: us_MA, other, explosion, response, bomb
 
               UNCLEAR WHERE SUSPICIOUS JUGS CAME FROM | WWLP.COM
               Tags: us_MA, other, discovery, response, unknown_chemical
 
               POLICE: CHILDREN DISCOVER METH LAB IN TULSA PARK WHILE 
WALKING NEAR CREEK; HAZMAT UNIT CALLED :: THE REPUBLIC
               Tags: us_OK, other, discovery, environmental, meth_lab
 
               ALLEGED METH COOK BURNED IN EXPLOSION | SPRINGFIELD 
NEWS-LEADER | NEWS-LEADER.COM
               Tags: us_KS, other, explosion, injury, meth_lab
 
               MAN DIES DURING HAZMAT SITUATION - REGIONAL NEWS - BUCKS, 
MONTGOMERY, CHESTER, PHILA. STORY - WFMZ ALLENTOWN
               Tags: us_PA, other, release, death, freon
 
               HAZMAT RESPONDS TO SEMI CRASH NEAR GREAT BEND - KSN TV, 
KANSAS NEWS AND WEATHER
               Tags: us_KS, transportation, release, injury, gasoline
 
               MAN BURNED IN POSSIBLE METH LAB EXPLOSION - WDAF
               Tags: us_KS, other, explosion, injury, meth_lab
 
               STRAFFORD SCHOOL EVACUATED FOR ODOR CAUSED BY RENOVATIONS 
- FOSTERS
               Tags: us_NH, education, release, response, adhesives
 
               A FIRE INCIDENT AT BINARY INDUSTRIES IMPARTED NO EFFECTS 
ON COMMUNITY HEALTH, SAYS STUDY | TOPNEWS UNITED STATES
               Tags: follow-up, australia
 
               CHEMICAL SPILL CLEANED UP ON BELTLINE RAMP; NO INJURIES 
REPORTED
               Tags: us_WI, transportation, release, environmental, 
ag_chems
 
               PORTSMOUTH MOTEL 6 EMPLOYEE OVERCOME BY CHEMICAL FUMES IN 
LAUNDRY - FOSTERS
               Tags: us_NH, other, release, injury, cleaners
 
               HOLYOKE YIELDS ANOTHER JUG ON THE STREET CONTAINING 
MYSTERY LIQUID AND PROMPTING HAZ-MAT RESPONSE | MASSLIVE.COM
               Tags: us_MA, other, discovery, response, illegal, 
meth_lab
 
               SMOKING LITTER PROMPTS HAZMAT RESPONSE - SAN JOSE MERCURY 
NEWS
               Tags: us_CA, waste, release, response, hydrochloric_acid
 
               CHEMICALS FOUND DURING CONSTRUCTION
               Tags: us_CA, education, discovery, response, radiation
 
               ODOR IN PARADISE HILLS TRACED: STINKY SOIL - 
SIGNONSANDIEGO.COM
               Tags: us_CA, other, release, response, natural_gas
 
---------------------------------------------
 
ODOR PROMPTS PARTIAL HOTEL EVACUATION IN DOWNTOWN HOUSTON | ABC13.COM, 
http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=news/local&id=8118067
Tags: us_TX, other, release, injury, chlorine
 
HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Things were back to normal Saturday night at the 
Hilton Americas hotel downtown after two floors were evacuated due to a 
chemical spill.
 
Related Content
MORE: Got a story idea? Let us know!
According to the Houston Fire Department, a strong odor was reported 
around 2pm Saturday at Hilton Americas on Lamar in downtown Houston.
Firefighters say a worker was picking up empty chlorine drums this 
afternoon in the basement of the hotel. That's when they say the worker 
tried to pour some remaining chlorine into another drum and spilled it.
 
Two employees had to go to the hospital with minor eye and lung 
irritation, officials said.
 
Haz-Mat crews cleaned up the spill. The first and second floors were 
evacuated so they could be ventilated.
 
---------------------------------------------
 
WHDH-TV - MENDON POLICE INVESTIGATE EXPLODING BOTTLES, 
http://www1.whdh.com/news/articles/local/12004258924570/mendon-police-inve
stigate-exploding-bottles/
Tags: us_MA, other, explosion, response, bomb
 
MENDON, Mass. -- Police in Mendon are investigating after two buildings 
were targeted by someone throwing bottles full of an explosive liquid.
 
One of the bottle bombs was thrown out in front of a home on Park Street 
Friday evening. The family heard a loud explosion and then found remains 
of the bottle and chemicals on their driveway.
 
=93They heard a large explosion outside in the front yard,=94 Detective 
David Kurzcy said. =93They didn=92t really think much of it for some 
reason -- ended up going to bed, didn=92t call us. The next morning they 
were out washing their car, went to the end of the driveway, noticed the 
device.=94
 
Around the same time, another bottle filled with chemicals was thrown in 
front of Alicante Mediterranean Grille where employees were wrapping 
things up for the night. One of their servers had a very close call.
 
=93It was real warm chemical, little pellets inside of it, so 
I...curiosity trying to figure out what it was, until Joe said you 
probably should get rid of that,=94 Darren Johnson said. =93We threw it 
into the trash receptacle over here, I took probably two steps away from 
there, and it blew up, so it was pretty close to being in my hand at the 
time that it had blown up.=94
 
---------------------------------------------
 
UNCLEAR WHERE SUSPICIOUS JUGS CAME FROM | WWLP.COM, 
http://www.wwlp.com/dpp/news/local/hampden/Unclear-where-suspicious-jugs-c
ame-from
Tags: us_MA, other, discovery, response, unknown_chemical
 
HOLYOKE, Mass. (WWLP) - Residents of Holyoke aren=92t breathing a sigh 
of relief just yet. Police have arrested a man suspected in connection 
with the suspicious containers being left around the city, but it's not 
clear still where they are originating.
 
The city of Holyoke is trying to put together the pieces of a puzzle. 
There have been 18 suspicious containers left around Holyoke.
 
The locations extend from each end of the city. =46rom Whiting Farms 
road up to Canal Street it's over 3 miles apart.
 
This all started around two weeks ago when the first suspicious 
container showed up. Holyoke Fire, Police, and state hazardous materials 
teams came in and tested the liquid inside the one gallon milk jugs. 
Results came back that the majority of the containers had residual from 
a chemical combination that is very dangerous.
 
---------------------------------------------
 
POLICE: CHILDREN DISCOVER METH LAB IN TULSA PARK WHILE WALKING NEAR 
CREEK; HAZMAT UNIT CALLED :: THE 
REPUBLIC,http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/c20c62d3d0c54635b7a0413b771
5866e/OK--Tulsa-Park-Meth-Lab/
Tags: us_OK, other, discovery, environmental, meth_lab
 
TULSA, Okla. =97 Police in Tulsa say children uncovered a 
methamphetamine lab while exploring a creek at a park in west Tulsa.
 
Tulsa television station KJRH reports the children came upon the meth 
lab at about 10 p.m. Saturday at Reed Park.
 
Police say one of the children looked through the chemical containers 
and told his father about what he saw.
 
Police arrived to find the meth lab and drug paraphernalia.
 
A hazardous materials unit was summoned to clean up the site.
 
---------------------------------------------
 
ALLEGED METH COOK BURNED IN EXPLOSION | SPRINGFIELD NEWS-LEADER | 
NEWS-LEADER.COM, 
http://www.news-leader.com/article/20110509/NEWS11/105090350/Alleged-meth-
cook-burned-explosion?odyssey=mod%7Cnewswell%7Ctext%7CFRONTPAGE%7Cs
Tags: us_KS, other, explosion, injury, meth_lab
 
KANSAS CITY -- Kansas City police say a man who was cooking 
methamphetamine inside a closed hospital suffered third-degree burns 
when the lab exploded.
 
The injured man was taken to a different hospital with 
non-life-threatening injuries after police received a call around 9 a.m. 
Saturday.
 
WDAF-TV reports officers found the man running from the old Trinity 
Lutheran Hospital near Liberty Memorial. Police say he told emergency 
responders he and another man had been cooking meth inside the building.
 
---------------------------------------------
 
MAN DIES DURING HAZMAT SITUATION - REGIONAL NEWS - BUCKS, MONTGOMERY, 
CHESTER, PHILA. STORY - WFMZ 
ALLENTOWN,http://www.wfmz.com/bucksnews/27818459/detail.html
Tags: us_PA, other, release, death, freon
 
CHARLESTOWN TOWNSHIP, Pa. -- State Police in Embreeville are 
investigating after a hazmat situation turned fatal on Saturday.
It happened at an unoccupied office/warehouse facility and 
communications tower in the 1000 block of Valley Hill Road in 
Charlestown Township.
Police said the victim and three co-workers were contracted to remove 
mechanical equipment and scrap metal from the building, and had been 
working at the building for the past week.
They said when the group arrived to work on Saturday, two people were 
exposed to fumes believed to have come from a mechanical room housing 
air conditioning cooling units.
Police said the victim collapsed, and the other worker was able to call 
for help. The three workers tried rescuing the victim, but were overcome 
by the fumes.
All four were transported to Paoli Hospital for treatment, and the 
victim was pronounced dead at the hospital.
Several emergency crews arrived on scene to secure the building and area 
surrounding it. It was determined to be safe after being ventilated.
Police said a preliminary investigation showed the victim's company was 
in the early stages of removing the cooling units. An inspection of the 
units showed they were still pressurized and several of the valves were 
opened, allowing freon gases to escape.
 
---------------------------------------------
 
HAZMAT RESPONDS TO SEMI CRASH NEAR GREAT BEND - KSN TV, KANSAS NEWS AND 
WEATHER, 
http://www.ksn.com/news/local/story/Hazmat-responds-to-semi-crash-near-Gre
at-Bend/tDdzmn33dk-Sfx45ybshvw.cspx
Tags: us_KS, transportation, release, injury, gasoline
 
GREAT BEND, Kansas - Police have closed down part of Highway 281 due to 
a semi truck that has overturned four miles north of Great Bend.
 
The truck came to rest in the east ditch and spilled gallons of 
gasoline, according to police.
 
A hazmat response team is responding to the accident to clean up the 
area.
 
The driver of the semi was taken by air ambulance to a Wichita hospital. 
His condition is not currently known. 
 
Police report that the road will remain closed until gasoline has been 
cleaned up.
 
---------------------------------------------
 
MAN BURNED IN POSSIBLE METH LAB EXPLOSION - WDAF, 
http://www.fox4kc.com/news/wdaf-possible-meth-lab-explosion-under-investig
ation-in-kansas-city-20110507,0,3342882.story
Tags: us_KS, other, explosion, injury, meth_lab
 
KANSAS CITY, Mo.=97 A man is recovering from third degree burns after 
being burned during a meth lab explosion. It happened on Saturday 
morning near 31st & Baltimore in Kansas City, Mo. The victim set up 
the lab in an abandoned building that is the old Trinity Lutheran 
Hospital near Liberty Memorial.
 
---------------------------------------------
 
STRAFFORD SCHOOL EVACUATED FOR ODOR CAUSED BY RENOVATIONS - FOSTERS, 
http://www.fosters.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110506/GJNEWS_01/705
069956/-1/FOSNEWS
Tags: us_NH, education, release, response, adhesives
 
STRAFFORD =97 The Strafford School was evacuated Thursday afternoon and 
classes were dismissed early because of an odor that emanated from a 
part of the school undergoing renovations.
 
SAU 44 Superintendent Dr. Michael Ludwell said the odor became 
noticeable in the school around noon when most students were eating 
lunch. Ludwell said the odor came from a classroom in a part of the 
school that's been part of ongoing renovations.
 
"We decided to err on the side of caution and call in the fire and 
police departments and evacuate the building at lunchtime," Ludwell 
said.
 
Fire Chief Paul Stover said the odor was caused by a reaction between a 
chemical for removing floor adhesive and the adhesive in one of the 
classrooms undergoing renovation. 
 
"God only knows how old the adhesive on the floor was," Stover said. "It 
also didn't help they had all the doors open in the area and the wind 
was blowing in the school."
 
---------------------------------------------
 
A FIRE INCIDENT AT BINARY INDUSTRIES IMPARTED NO EFFECTS ON COMMUNITY 
HEALTH, SAYS STUDY | TOPNEWS UNITED 
STATES,http://topnews.us/content/239667-fire-incident-binary-industries-im
parted-no-effects-community-health-says-study
Tags: follow-up, australia
 
he Narangba Industrial Estate Health Impact Assessment (HIA), conducted 
by Queensland Health, has suggested more studies about the latent 
dangers of chromium on the human health inspite of the report that has 
claimed that a chemical fire at Narangba, north of Brisbane, did not 
lead to any serious health problem among the natives of local area.
 
A fire incident at Binary Industries has covered the atmosphere with 
puffs of lethal smoke in 2005. After a long span of time, approximately 
6 years, Queensland Health has released a report on the operations of 
the Narangba Industrial Estate.
 
The report has revealed that the chronic heart disease and respiratory 
illnesses were marked higher than the average although the air quality 
was not blamed for it. Further, the cancer and mortality rates were also 
reported similar to other reigns of Queensland.
 
---------------------------------------------
 
CHEMICAL SPILL CLEANED UP ON BELTLINE RAMP; NO INJURIES REPORTED, 
http://host.madison.com/news/local/article_2be0a508-77ec-11e0-8c04-001cc4c
03286.html
Tags: us_WI, transportation, release, environmental, ag_chems
 
A liquid fertilizer spill on the Beltline exit ramp to Park Street 
brought out the hazardous materials team Friday morning, but the spill 
was  contained and the site cleared within 90 minutes.
No one was injured.
Madison Fire Department spokesman Eric Dahl said an estimated 30 gallons 
of liquid lawn fertilizer spilled from the tank on the lawn care truck.
The spill was reported at about 8:45 a.m. Friday, with most of the 
liquid spilling onto the ramp and flowing down toward a sewer drain.
"Units used buckets to capture the liquid fertilizer until the leak was 
stopped," Dahl said. "Absorbent material was also used to soak up the 
fertilizer from the exit ramp."
 
---------------------------------------------
 
PORTSMOUTH MOTEL 6 EMPLOYEE OVERCOME BY CHEMICAL FUMES IN LAUNDRY - 
FOSTERS, 
http://www.fosters.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110506/GJNEWS_01/705
069922/-1/FOSNEWS
Tags: us_NH, other, release, injury, cleaners
 
PORTSMOUTH =97 A Motel 6 employee was taken to the hospital Thursday 
morning after being overcome by fumes from a chemical reaction.
 
Portsmouth Fire Capt. Bernie Marvin said his department was called to 3 
Gosling Road at 10:12 a.m. for a hazardous materials incident causing a 
medical emergency.
 
Marvin described the employee as a man in his 60s. The man was working 
in the motel's laundry room on the first floor of the east wing of the 
building when the incident occurred.
 
"It appears he was transferring chemicals from one container to the 
next," Marvin said. "There was a chain reaction where he was overcome."
 
The motel did not need to be evacuated as a result of the incident.
 
---------------------------------------------
 
HOLYOKE YIELDS ANOTHER JUG ON THE STREET CONTAINING MYSTERY LIQUID AND 
PROMPTING HAZ-MAT RESPONSE | 
MASSLIVE.COM,http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2011/05/holyoke_yields
_another_jug_on.html
Tags: us_MA, other, discovery, response, illegal, meth_lab
 
HOLYOKE - Another plastic milk container was found containing an 
unknown liquid prompting authorities to close part of Lyman Street for 
90 minutes Friday. 
 
But Fire Department Lt. Thomas G. Paquin said tests so far are 
inconclusive as to whether the liquid is the same as the chemical that 
was found in more than a dozen containers around the city last week and 
prompted responses from hazardous-materials teams. 
 
Authorities believe the liquid in the plastic milk jugs last week could 
be a byproduct from the illegal production of methamphetamine, a 
stimulant drug that can lead to addiction and brain damage.
 
---------------------------------------------
 
SMOKING LITTER PROMPTS HAZMAT RESPONSE - SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS, 
http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_18013548?nclick_check=1
Tags: us_CA, waste, release, response, hydrochloric_acid
 
A smoking plastic carton brought a hazardous materials team to an East 
Palo Alto residence Friday afternoon, a fire official said.
A woman at the home on the 900 block of Baines Street told investigators 
several containers had been thrown into her backyard and that it was not 
unusual for people to dump trash there, Menlo Park Fire Protection 
District Battalion Chief Ben Marra said.
When the woman went to recycle the trash, however, she saw smoke rising 
from what looked like a plastic milk carton, according to Marra.
Authorities, who arrived at the home at about 12:40 p.m., told neighbors 
to shelter in place while the hazmat team investigated. Police officers, 
the San Mateo County Office of Emergency Services and county health 
officials also responded.
They determined the chemical was muriatic acid, which is commonly used 
in cleaning supplies, Marra said. The chemical can burn skin and injure 
lungs if inhaled.
The chemical-filled container appears to be a case of littering and was 
not part of a malicious act, Marra said.
 
---------------------------------------------
 
CHEMICALS FOUND DURING CONSTRUCTION, 
http://www.therounduponline.net/mobile/news/hazmat-team-confirms-no-danger
-to-campus-1.2560577
Tags: us_CA, education, discovery, response, radiation
 
There is no danger or threat to the Pierce College campus, according to 
the hazardous materials team (Hazmat) following a chemical spill during 
construction Friday.
 
Hazmat confirmed that the chemical vault construction located in the old 
Chemistry 800 Building workers broke into during renovation projects 
near Parking Lot 7 posed no dangerous threats to students, faculty and 
the workers involved.
 
The Los Angeles Fire Department responded along with the Los Angeles 
Police Department (LAPD), Los Angeles Sheriff's Department (LASD) and LA 
County Health Department to the suspected Hazmat emergency.
 
The Chemistry Building and old Child Development Center have been left 
unused since summer 2010, when the Center for Sciences and new Child 
Development Center opened.
 
The underground vault held eight containers, four of which had low-level 
radioactive materials inside.  Following further inspection, the Los 
Angeles Fire Department found none of the four to be broken or unsealed.
 
---------------------------------------------
 
ODOR IN PARADISE HILLS TRACED: STINKY SOIL - SIGNONSANDIEGO.COM, 
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/may/06/odor-in-Paradise-Hills-trac
ed-stinky-soil/
Tags: us_CA, other, release, response, natural_gas
 
SAN DIEGO =97 Utility and hazardous materials crews, fire and police 
officials cordoned off a two-block area of Paradise Hills Friday evening 
while investigating a possible natural gas leak.
 
Nearly five hours later, they determined the scent of methane was coming 
off soil that had surrounded old sewer pipes for years, until 
contractors recently started digging it up.
 
Residents on Childs Avenue reported smelling some kind of odor, possibly 
gas, around 5:30 p.m. A construction crew had been in the area earlier, 
digging a trench, but there was no sign that they had broken a natural 
gas line, San Diego Fire-Rescue Department officials said.
 
---------------------------------------------
 
 
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