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h ttp://www.catawbavalleycitizen.com/2010/01/25/four-alarm-fire-at-local-che mical-plant-leaves-dozens-unemployed/ Four Alarm Fire At Local Chemical Plant Leaves Dozens Unemployed HICKORY, NC =E2=80=93 Members of the Longview Fire Department were called to Tailored Chemical Products, Inc & Tailored Foam, Inc. around 8pm Sunday night after citizens nearby reported an explosion at the company. The company produces commercial glue and foam insulation used in construction. Officials say a handful of employees was inside the facility working when the explosion occurred. None of the employees were injured. The exact cause is still unknown, however one employee told us that he believed it was related to a transformer that malfunctioned inside the facility. Firefighters quickly arrived and began accessing the scene. They learned the facility housed extremely flammable chemicals, including ethanol and methanol. They were concerned that the room housing these chemicals would be exposed to the fire and risk a huge explosion. Longview Fire Department requested the assistance of numerous nearby fire departments including Hickory, Icard, Lovelady and Mountain View Fire Departments. They were able to logistically coordinate their response and keep the fire contained to the portion of the building NOT containing the explosive chemicals. ... === http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90776/90882/6877776.html Two dead in Beijing chemical plant explosion Two workers were killed in an explosion at a Beijing chemical plant late Sunday, witnesses and the local government said Monday. The blast happened around midnight at a workshop of FRST Chemical Co. in Yongshun township of Tongzhou District, a manufacturing town in the eastern suburbs of Beijing. "I heard a bang and saw the place was on fire," said a resident surnamed Lu, who lives close to the plant. Lu said he saw two walls of the factory compound had collapsed, and windows were broken in buildings at least 20 meters from the site. A Tongzhou district government spokesman confirmed two workers died in the accident, which happened at 11:42 p.m.. He said authorities had launched an investigation, but did not give details. The fire was put out early Monday. Police have restricted access to the site. FRST, based in Guangzhou, produces latex for industrial use. === http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90776/90882/6877776.html Chemical spill at Duke prompts evacuation of floor Duke University employee was hospitalized after a chemical spill late Monday morning. The woman was working in a fourth floor lab inside the Nanaline H. Duke building when she fainted, said Keith Lawrence, university spokesman. As she fell, the woman knocked a container with Phenol, a toxic inhalant, to the ground. Durham Fire Department hazardous material units responded to the area while the floor was evacuated. The woman only sustained a bump to the head and will more than likely be brought to Duke University Hospital's emergency room, Lawrence said. Phenol is often used in the production of synthetic fibers and chemicals that kill bacteria and fungi in slimes, according to the U.S. Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry. It is also used as a disinfectant and in mouthwash and sore throat lozenges. High exposure to the chemical can cause death. The Nanaline H. Duke building houses the university's biochemistry and cell biology departments as well as its cell and molecular biology and genetics programs. === http://wjz.com/wireapnewsmd/Chemical.fire.destroys.2.1447150.html Chemical Lab Fire Destroys Gear In Hagerstown, Md. HAGERSTOWN, Md. (AP) =E2=80=95 The operator of a Hagerstown laboratory where an overnight fire destroyed thousands of dollars worth of equipment says safety policies and procedures prevented worse damage. Mark Butt, president of Tox Path Specialists LLC at Hagerstown Community College, said Monday the fire may stemmed from a malfunction in an incubator where tissue samples stained with an alcohol solution are routinely left to dry overnight Butt says a vent on the device may have been partially blocked, causing combustion of the vapors that had accumlated under a hood. He estimated the damage at just over $2,000; the Maryland State Fire Marshal put it at $7,500. === http://www.fireengineering.com/index/articles/display/3690064875/articles/ fire-engineering/hazmat-survival_tips/2010/01/hazmat-survival_tips.html Hazmat Survival Tips: Working with Cleanup Contractors Jan 25, 2010 Beyond the Rule of Thumb Survival Tip 48 By Steven De Lisi During many incidents involving a hazardous material release, "cle anup contractors=" clean up and remove the spilled chemical. These companies have the personnel, equipment, and experience to conduct cleanup operations safely and in accordance with to local, state, and federal environmental and occupational regulations. Some local government leaders are dismayed when the first responders do not conduct cleanup operations. They ask, "Isn=E2=80=99t that what we pay them for?=" The reality is that most fire departments, besides not having the equipment and personnel for these activities, do not have the necessary environmental permits. Likewise, although employees of companies that use or handle chemicals can sometimes clean up spills considered to be "incidental,=" federal occupational standards clearly define the limits of these types of spills. Companies that choose to clean up chemical spills in-house that exceed these limits not only expose their employees to unnecessary risk but also expose themselves to potential civil and criminal liability. Throughout my fire service career, I have found most cleanup contractors willing to do whatever was necessary to protect personnel, property, and the environment. However, I have also learned there are a few things first responders should know to deal effectively with these contractors before someone signs a cleanup contract. (edited for length)
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