From: Secretary ACS DCHAS <secretary**At_Symbol_Here**dchas.org>
Subject: [DCHAS-L] Chemical Safety headlines (11 articles)
Date: Wed, 14 May 2014 08:10:23 -0400
Reply-To: DCHAS-L <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU>
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Table of Contents (11 articles)

FIREFIGHTERS CALLED TO 'CHEMICAL INCIDENT' AT WESTMORLAND GENERAL HOSPITAL (FROM THE WESTMORLAND GAZETTE)
Tags: United_Kingdom, public, release, injury, ammonia

65 ILL AFTER PHAYAO TOXIC BLAST
Tags: Thailand, industrial, explosion, injury, ag_chems

AFTER CHEMICAL SPILL, WEST VIRGINIA WASTEWATER ENDS UP BENEATH OHIO / IDEASTREAM
Tags: us_OH, public, release, environmental, other_chemical

HAZMAT CREW ON SCENE OF SPILL IN MORGAN COUNTY
Tags: us_WV, industrial, release, response, petroleum, sodium_hydroxide, sulfuric_acid

WORKERS AT HAMMONTON PRODUCE FACILITY TREATED FOLLOWING HAZARDOUS MATERIAL SITUATION
Tags: us_NJ, industrial, release, injury, unknown_chemical

METH LAB EXPLOSION SERIOUSLY INJURES ONE, SETS TWO BUILDINGS ABLAZE
Tags: us_NY, public, explosion, response, meth_lab

CHEMICAL STILL LEAKING AT SHUT DOWN I-85 WEIGH STATION
Tags: us_SC, transportation, release, response, HCl

MAN ESCAPES FROM HIS BURNING HOME AT KAPUNDA AFTER CHEMICALS START FIRE IN KITCHEN
Tags: Australia, public, fire, injury, unknown_chemical

CHEMICAL FIRE AT KENNESAW BUSINESS CAUSES EVACUATION
Tags: us_GA, industrial, fire, injury, cleaners, solvent

SUSPICIOUS CHEMICAL COCKTAIL ID'D AS CONCRETE CLEANER
Tags: us_OH, public, discovery, response, other_chemical

HUGE FIRE BURNS THROUGH SAN JOSE LAND FILL
Tags: us_CA, public, fire, response


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FIREFIGHTERS CALLED TO 'CHEMICAL INCIDENT' AT WESTMORLAND GENERAL HOSPITAL (FROM THE WESTMORLAND GAZETTE)
http://www.thewestmorlandgazette.co.uk/NEWS/11209376.Firefighters_called_to__chemical_incident__at_Westmorland_General_Hospital/
Tags: United_Kingdom, public, release, injury, ammonia

THREE fire engines were called to ?a chemical incident? at Westmorland General Hospital today (May 13) after a drugs fridge in the day centre started leaking.

Two engines from Kendal and one from Barrow attended the report of ?a strong smell of ammonia? at around 9.40am.

Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus and gas tight suits investigated and found that the engineering behind a drugs fridge was faulty.

The drugs were not contaminated, and Watch Manager Phil Stannet said crews used natural ventilation to clear the smell and removed the fridge to a safe location.

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65 ILL AFTER PHAYAO TOXIC BLAST
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/health/409626/65-ill-after-phayao-toxic-blast
Tags: Thailand, industrial, explosion, injury, ag_chems

PHAYAO: Experts are testing for air and water pollution in Phayaois Ban Nam Waen where villagers have fallen sick after an agricultural chemical storehouse exploded.

Chiang Kham hospital carried out health checks on up to 65 residents after locals started vomiting as a result of breathing strong, unpleasant fumes from the burned-out storehouse, deputy Phayao governor Nimit Wanchaithanawong said yesterday.

He said officials have asked the hospital to help people who ?need both physical and mental treatment? following a meeting on ways to tackle the health and environmental impact of the explosion.

While medical staff will take care of villagers? health, experts including academics from Phayao University will collect air and water samples in Ban Nam Waen to check the long-term impact of the chemical explosion.

The environmental inspection will be carried out monthly for six months, Mr Nimit said.

Ban Nam Waen residents said they became panicked after they heard the sound of explosions coming from the storehouse on Sunday. Thick, black smoke was then seen billowing out of the burning building.

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AFTER CHEMICAL SPILL, WEST VIRGINIA WASTEWATER ENDS UP BENEATH OHIO / IDEASTREAM
http://www.ideastream.org/news/feature/61874
Tags: us_OH, public, release, environmental, other_chemical

Earlier this month came news that tainted river water from a West Virginia chemical spill is finding its way deep below Ohio. The Columbus Dispatch first reported about 50-thousand gallons of water containing the coal cleaning chemical, MCHM, was pumped into an injection well in Sandusky County. It is the same chemical that spilled from an above-ground tank in West Virginia, causing drinking-water bans, and licorice smelling water all the way to Cincinnati. To find out more about how and why MCHM is here, ideastream?s Tony Ganzer spoke with Dina Pierce, spokeswoman for the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency.

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HAZMAT CREW ON SCENE OF SPILL IN MORGAN COUNTY
http://www.your4state.com/story/d/story/rt-522-open-hazmat-crew-on-scene-of-large-spill/29158/6y4qI-a4Vk-pEDbJY1er5A
Tags: us_WV, industrial, release, response, petroleum, sodium_hydroxide, sulfuric_acid

MORGAN COUNTY, W.Va. - According to Morgan County Fire and Rescue dispatch, Rt. 522 was briefly shut down Tuesday afternoon from Washington County, Md., to the town limits of Bath due to a large hazmat spill.

Hazmat crews arrived on the scene, and declared it was safe to have the roadway open unless potential bad weather affects the spill.

The call came in at 2:42 p.m. along 2946 Hancock Road at U.S. Silica.

Dispatch says there is a large leak in a building involving three different types of hazardous material, "sulfuric acid, sodium hydroxide and petroleum sulfonate." They say approximately 53,000 lbs could potentially spill.

Crews on scene say they're working on an action plan to determine if this can be deemed as a safe area, or if they plan to bring in a clean-up contractor to help resolve the situation.

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WORKERS AT HAMMONTON PRODUCE FACILITY TREATED FOLLOWING HAZARDOUS MATERIAL SITUATION
http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/news/breaking/police-and-firefighters-respond-to-hazardous-material-incident-in-hammonton/article_55089298-dac6-11e3-a993-0019bb2963f4.html
Tags: us_NJ, industrial, release, injury, unknown_chemical

HAMMONTON ? Workers at a produce repackaging facility were sent to the hospital Tuesday afternoon following a hazardous-material situation.
Emergency services were called to Buffalo Repack at 12:15 p.m. after 30 employees became ill.
When police arrived, they sent four people complaining of nausea and dizziness to AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center, Mainland Campus, in Galloway Township and its Hammonton urgent care location. Police said some workers had already been sent to the hospital by the time they arrived, but they did not know how many.
Police said they called the hospital and were told all employees taken there were in good condition, but one still had symptoms Tuesday evening.
Hammonton Police Chief Robert Jones said the employees who felt sick were working together, handling grapes from Chile.

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METH LAB EXPLOSION SERIOUSLY INJURES ONE, SETS TWO BUILDINGS ABLAZE
http://www.cnycentral.com/news/story.aspx?id=1043601#.U3NP6YFdWE0
Tags: us_NY, public, explosion, response, meth_lab

TOWN OF LOCKE -- A meth lab explosion in Cayuga County seriously injured one person, and set two buildings ablaze in the Town of Locke Monday evening.

Cayuga County Sheriff?s Deputies say 47-year-old Shawn L. Perreault was cooking methamphetamine at his home at 5651 Sears Road in the Town of Locke at about 5:20 pm when his equipment exploded. The explosion engulfed both the mobile home and a nearby pole barn in flames, causing heavy damage to both. Two other adults and a four-year-old child were home at the time of the explosion, but they were not injured, deputies say.

Perreault was taken to the hospital by his wife and was later airlifted to University Hospital with burns over 60-percent of his body. He is listed in stable condition.

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CHEMICAL STILL LEAKING AT SHUT DOWN I-85 WEIGH STATION
http://www.wyff4.com/news/ocem-evacuations-ordered-near-milemarker-9-on-i85-due-to-hazmat-situation/25930304
Tags: us_SC, transportation, release, response, HCl

ANDERSON COUNTY, S.C. ?A hazardous chemical that caused concern on Interstate 85 in Anderson County on Monday, was still leaking early Tuesday, according to hazmat crews at the scene.

About 5:10 a.m., WYFF News 4 crews covering the leak at the weigh station on I-85 northbound at mile marker 9 in Anderson County were told to move back about 200 yards, due to a shift in wind direction.

Crews first responded to the weigh station at 8:30 a.m. Monday, according to Taylor Jones with Anderson County Emergency Management.

Jones said a tractor-trailer at the weigh station is leaking hydrogen chloride, and the plume radius is about 300-feet.


He said the liquid is vaporizing and going into the air. Jones said it would only become dangerous if winds pick up.

Capt. Matthew Littleton with the Anderson County Sheriff's Office expected crews to remain at the scene until sometime Tuesday morning, and called it a "long drawn-out operation."

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MAN ESCAPES FROM HIS BURNING HOME AT KAPUNDA AFTER CHEMICALS START FIRE IN KITCHEN
http://www.news.com.au/national/south-australia/man-escapes-from-his-burning-home-at-kapunda-after-chemicals-start-fire-in-kitchen/story-fnii5yv4-1226915767716
Tags: Australia, public, fire, injury, unknown_chemical

A REACTION between chemicals in a kitchen cupboard has sparked a house fire that caused extensive damage to a Kapunda home.
A man, 43, who was home at the time was alerted to the blaze about 10.15am by his barking dog.
He tried to fight the flames but evacuated when it became too dangerous and called triple-0.
MFS and CFS firefighters arrived to find smoke pouring from the roof and flames coming from the windows.
It took 40 minutes for 18 firefighters to contain the blaze and an hour to douse hot spots.
Fire cause investigators traced the suspected source of the blaze to a chemical spill and reaction under the kitchen sink.
The occupant of the home suffered smoke inhalation and was taken to hospital as a precaution.
Fire caused significant damage to the kitchen, lounge and roof of the house and was estimated at $200,000.
An MFS spokeswoman urged homeowners to be wary of household chemicals to clean up spills as soon as practicable.

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CHEMICAL FIRE AT KENNESAW BUSINESS CAUSES EVACUATION
http://mdjonline.com/bookmark/25094619-Chemical-fire-at-Kennesaw-business-causes-evacuation
Tags: us_GA, industrial, fire, injury, cleaners, solvent

Three employees of a Kennesaw business received minor injuries following a chemical fire Monday morning.

Cobb firefighters responded to 100 North Roberts Road, Kennesaw, at about 10:40 a.m. after receiving a report of an explosion in a business.

?When we arrived, there wasn?t anything showing, but we did find a small fire in the warehouse portion of the business,? said Lt. Dan Dupree, spokesman for Cobb Fire Department.

The building was evacuated and received minor damage from the fire.

The business? sprinkler activated and kept the fire controlled, Dupree said. The blaze was caused by a malfunctioning piece of equipment that used a mixture of chemicals, including solvent cleaners.

Three people received minor injuries. One had slight burns on arm while the other two had ?very slight? difficulty breathing, Dupree said. One person was sent to WellStar Kennestone Hospital.

Firefighters, a hazardous materials team, the Georgia Environmental Protection Division and a private cleaning company were still on the scene late Monday assessing environmental concerns, but Dupree said no danger was present.

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SUSPICIOUS CHEMICAL COCKTAIL ID'D AS CONCRETE CLEANER
http://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/crime/2014/05/12/hazmat-unit-investigates-cocktail-of-chemicals/9014671/
Tags: us_OH, public, discovery, response, other_chemical

Chemicals a man found near his home in Lower Price Hill that were considered suspicious turned out to be nothing more than a concoction used to clean concrete.

A hazardous materials unit responded to a home in the 1100 block of Grand Avenue at about 5:30 p.m. Monday after a man reported finding chemicals in the alley next to his house.

The man said he originally thought it was bleach. When he sniffed the chemicals they burnt his nose, he said.

But a fire official on scene said the chemicals could be bought at most hardware stores and are typically used to clean concrete.

They could still be dangerous without knowing what they are, the official said.

Grand was shut down between Glenway Avenue and Lehman Road for more than an hour while crews investigated.

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HUGE FIRE BURNS THROUGH SAN JOSE LAND FILL
http://santamariatimes.com/news/state-and-regional/huge-fire-burns-through-san-jose-land-fill/article_2356a087-48fb-589c-8147-98c0881f333e.html
Tags: us_CA, public, fire, response

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) ? A large fire that broke out at a San Jose land fill is under control but is spewing huge plumes of smoke and burning through so much fuel that firefighters will have to tend to it for a long time.

City fire Capt. Reggie Williams tells the San Jose Mercury News (http://bit.ly/1qumHft">http://bit.ly/1qumHft ) that the fire that broke out for unknown reasons at about 4:30 p.m. Sunday is burning through mountains of chipped bark that are 30 to 40 feet high, and spawning clouds of white, brown and black smoke that can be seen by drivers on nearby Interstate 880.

Nearly 50 firefighters are constantly dumping water on the blaze and may have to keep at it for 24 hours as it keeps finding more wood.

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