Date: Tue, 18 Jan 2011 07:17:05 -0500
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From: Ralph Stuart <secretary**At_Symbol_Here**DCHAS.ORG>
Subject: Chemical Safety headlines from Google

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THREE TREATED BY HAZMAT CREWS - WNEP, http://www.wnep.com/news/countybycounty/wnep-numb-hazmat- incident,0,7944262.story

Emergency crews and a hazardous materials team were called out Monday morning near Herndon after a man reported a possible chemical burn.

According to state police, a man had illegally ridden the train from Philadelphia to Northumberland County. He got off the train near Herndon, and troopers say medical personnel were called to treat the man for severe burns on his abdomen. State police say it is not known where the man suffered his injuries. A news release late Monday night stated there is no evidence the man was burned on the train.

Paramedics with the Dalmatia Area Ambulance League responded to the location off Route 147 to treat the man and they, too, reacted to the suspected chemical. Hazardous materials crews were called in and decontaminated all three men. A nearby park was closed as a precaution.

"When the ambulance crew interfaced with him they started getting sick and that's when they called for a Hazmat team," said Assistant Fire Chief Ron Hinkley of Herndon Fire Company.

The man was brought into an ambulance that will now have to be decontaminated both inside and out.

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HAZMAT TEAM RESPONDS AFTER GARAGE FIRE | FIRE, GARAGE, HAZMAT - NEWS - THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER, htt p://www.ocregister.com/news/fire-284506-garage-hazmat.html

Hazmat workers were called out to dispose of chemicals left at the scene of a garage fire in Orange Park Acres on Monday evening, authorities said.
Firefighters responded to a blaze at a detached three-car garage near a home in the 10300 block of Randall Avenue just before 5 p.m., Orange County Fire Authority Battalion Chief Kris Concepcion said.

A firefighter peeks in to the fire damaged garage at a home on the 10300 block of E. Randall Avenue in Orange Park Acres. According the OCFA, the fire started in the garage Monday evening when a diesel fuel injection solvent that the residents were working with caught fire. All the residents in the home were able to evacuate safely and the fire department was able to put the fire out before it got to the house.
LEONARD ORTIZ, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
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The fire was under control by 5:19 p.m., Concepcion said, but a Hazmat team was called out about 20 minutes later to deal with one to two gallons of heptane, which the garage's owner was using for a fuel distribution system for a diesel engine.

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18-WHEELER OVERTURNS IN DITCH - HOUSTON NEWS STORY - KPRC HOUSTON, http://www .click2houston.com/news/26515474/detail.html

HOUSTON -- Hazmat crews spent hours Monday morning cleaning up after an 18-wheeler crashed in a southwest Houston neighborhood. The 18-wheeler was leaking fuel.

Police said the truck crashed and slipped into a ditch at midnight on East Anderson Road at Milan Drive. The truck's back tire slipped into the ditch causing the entire truck to flip over on its side.

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BIG RIG LOADED WITH CHLORIDE OVERTURNS IN SOUTHWEST HOUSTON | KHOU.COM | KHOU.COM LOCAL NEWS,
HOUSTON=97Authorities were busy clearing a scene early Monday after an 18-wheeler loaded with an acidic chemical overturned in southwest Houston.
Police said an 18 -wheeler carrying 5,000 gallons of Choline Chloride was traveling on East Anderson when the driver accidentally passed his delivery site.
He turned into a gas station on the corner near Milan in an attempt to turn around. The single lanes were too small and the 18-wheeler=92s back tires went into a ditch, causing the big rig to turn on its side and land on a fire hydrant.
The fire hydrant caused some minor damage, but did not rupture the truck. The side diesel tank on the rig, however, did catch a small leak.

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CBC NEWS - NORTH - SOLVENT-LIKE SMELL PROBED AT YELLOWKNIFE BUILDING, http://www.cbc.ca/canada/north/story/2011/01/17/yellowkni fe-beck-court-odour.html

Tenants of a Yellowknife apartment complex were allowed to return to their units late Monday morning, after emergency crews spent several hours investigating a strong chemical smell in the building.

RCMP and the Yellowknife Fire Division evacuated 100 Beck Court around 5 a.m. MT, after they confirmed reports of a "strong odour" on the building's second floor.

The fire division's hazardous-materials team identified the smell in a part of the hallway on the second floor, but it could not pinpoint the source of the odour, Deputy Chief Jason Davidson said.

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MARLBOROUGH CHEMICAL SPILL SENDS 20 TO THE HOSPITAL - FRAMINGHAM, MA - THE METROWEST DAILY NEWS, http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/ news/x1334358406/HazMat-team-responds-to-chemical-spill-in-Marlborough

Emergency crews are working to clean up the mess left from a chemical explosion at Spectrum Microwave this morning that sent about 20 employees to area hospitals.

Fire Chief Ricky Plummer said it appears different chemicals reacted in a 30-gallon plastic drum, causing the explosion at 400 Nickerson Road. The explosion shot the chemicals around the laboratory but Plummer said he believes the incident was contained to the lab.

Clean Harbors, a private company contracted by Spectrum, is in charge of the cleanup. The state HazMat team is also working at the building.

=93It=92s going to be a fairly extensive process,=94 Plummer said. =93It=92s a pretty big mess.=94

Seven people went to Marlborough Hospital and 11 people were taken to Worcester hospitals with minor respiratory issues, Plummer said.

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NITROGEN LEAK: HAZMAT TEAMS CLEAN UP LIQUID NITROGEN LEAK IN MILLCREEK - KSTU, http://www.fox13now.com/news/kstu-millcreek-nitrogen-leak,0,77196 74.story

MILLCREEK, Salt Lake County, Utah =97 Shortly after 8 a.m. Sunday, Hazmat crews responded to a liquid nitrogen leak at the Tandem Labs building at 1121 East 3900 South in Millcreek.

A 6000-gallon tank of the substance sprung a leak, causing fire authorities to close down parts of 1100 East, although authorities say it isn't a safety issue.

Get It Now: FOX 13 News E-mail Newsletters and Text Message Alerts | Mobile Web Site and Smartphone Apps | Twitter and Facebook

"We're just gonna keep people out of the area until we get this remedied," said Capt. Cliff Burningham with the Unified Fire Authority.

The nitrogen lowers oxygen levels in the laboratory, so crews are taking all necessary precautions.

"You'll notice that the firefighters are in their full turnout gear and also their self contained breathing apparattuses," said Capt. Burningham. "That protects their respiratory drive so they can be in that environment where there's low oxygen concentrations."

The leak was first notified by Unified Fire Authority officers who were out in the area today.

"They arrived, the first arriving unit, and found the steam and vapor coming from the storage doors of a laboratory," said Capt. Burningham.

Officials don't know what caused the leak and plan to let the liquid nitrogen supplier handle the situation, saying they are best-equiped.

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CHEMICAL LEAK CLOSES OFF AREA IN FAR EAST EL PASO - NEWS STORY - KFOX EL PASO, http://www.kfoxtv .com/news/26508005/detail.html

EL PASO, Texas -- El Paso Fire Department hazmat crew was on the scene of a chemical spill in far East El Paso Saturday.
According to El Paso County Sheriff's Officials, a corrosive liquid was found leaking from a semi-truck.
Sheriff's deputies closed off the area near 1316 N. Horizon as a precaution.
Deputies say some people came in contact with the substance and had to be decontaminated.
According to sheriff=92s spokesman, the chemical is believed to be trimethylolpropane poloxypropylene triamine.

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LATIN AMERICAN HERALD TRIBUNE - FOUR WORKERS DIE IN ACCIDENT AT BRAZILIAN CHEMICAL PLANT, http://www.laht.com/article.asp?ArticleId=384162&amp;Ca tegoryId=14090

RIO DE JANEIRO - Four workers were killed and three others injured when they were exposed to toxic fumes while cleaning tanks at a chemical plant in Sao Paulo, Brazil=92s largest city, the fire department said Sunday.

The accident happened Saturday afternoon at the plant in Jardin Santo Amaro, a neighborhood in the southern section of Sao Paulo.

The workers were wearing masks, but they were overcome by toxic fumes from sulfuric and muriatic acid, which are used for routine cleaning at the nickel-processing plant.

Firefighters found one person dead at the scene and four others in serious condition.

One of the men died while being transported to the hospital, the fire department said.

Firefighters found two other victims inside the tank.

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GHANA FIRE SERVICE USE BUCKETS TO FIGHT INFERNO | GENERAL NEWS 2011-01-16, http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID= 201386

Akim Oda (E/R), Jan. 16, GNA - Six container shops at the Oda Market in the Birim Central Municipal Assembly, were engulfed in flames, destroying property estimated at GH=A260,000.

Personnel of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) used buckets and other small containers to fight the inferno, due to lack of fire tenders, causing amusement among onlookers.

The Birim Wood Complex Limited provided water tankers to the GNFS before the fire was brought under control.

Assistant Divisional Fire Officer Ransford Ababio, in charge of the municipality told the Ghana News Agency that the fire at the market followed another disaster at the Finance Block of the assembly at about 0500 hours on January 13, when the building went up in flames destroying a number of items.

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EQUATE CONTROLS FIRE AT AROMATICS COMPLEX, http://www.tradea rabia.com/news/IND_191862.html

Kuwait's Equate Petrochemical Co said it has controlled a fire on Sunday morning at its aromatics complex, with no impact on production.   

'The fire, which resulted from a leak in the aromatics complex, was immediately contained and it was extinguished at 9:30am Kuwait time,' Equate said in a statement on Sunday.

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CHEMICAL SPILL IN HORIZON CITY. | KTSM NEWS CHANNEL 9, http://ww w.ktsm.com/news/chemical-spill-in-horizon-city

HORIZON - The hazmat team is working to clean up a chemical spill in Horizon city.
El Paso County Sheriff's Deputies say a corrosive liquid leaked out of a tractor trailer. There's no word on serious injuries, but we have learned some people are being decontaminated.

Initial reports suggests this chemical could be toxic. Deputies are asking for people to avoid the area, however they say it is mainly for traffic concerns.

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POLICE INTERRUPT ATTEMPTED SUICIDE - SOMERSET - DAILY AMERICAN, http://www.dailyamerican.com/articles/2011/01/15/news/local/news013 .txt

A man attempted to kill himself at the Somerset Industrial Park Saturday morning after creating a deadly gas from household chemicals.

Somerset Borough police Chief Randy Cox said the man, who he declined to identify, created Hydrogen Sulfide by mixing two unnamed household cleaners together. The man had parked his truck in the parking lot of the industrial park in front of the Department of Public Welfare around 9 a.m. He placed a sign on his truck that said =93call hazmat.=94

When police arrived the man had a jug of the chemical and was outside the vehicle.

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AMTRAK'S COAST STARLIGHT EVACUATED IN CAMARILLO AFTER FREON LEAK =BB VENTURA COUNTY STAR, http://www.vcstar.com/news/2011/jan/15/amtrak-coast -starlight-train-evacuated-in-after/

An Amtrak Coast Starlight train was forced to stop at a Camarillo Metrolink station Saturday afternoon and evacuate passengers because of a Freon leak in one of its cars.

The Coast Starlight was en route from Los Angeles to Sacramento with 134 passengers, an Amtrak spokeswoman said.

Everyone evacuated about 2 p.m. was in good condition and safe, the Ventura County Fire Department reported.

A hazardous materials team was sent to the site. The leak originated from a chiller used to keep food, beverages and other things cold, the Amtrak spokeswoman said.

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TUBE STATION EVACUATED AFTER HARMFUL GAS FEAR (FROM THIS IS LOCAL LONDON), http://www.thisislocallondon.co.uk/news/8793 498.Tube_station_evacuated_after_harmful_gas_fear/

A tube station was evacuated yesterday afternoon after it was feared people could be exposed to harmful gases.

Tooting Broadway station was closed at about 1pm yesterday after staff smelt gas in the station concourse.

London Fire Brigade launched a major operation to deal with the incident, with 14 specialist units dispatched to the scene, including officers in chemical suits.

Firefighters were relieved to find the smell of gas was from underground sewers, after a manhole cover inside the station had become dislodged.

A firefighter that attended the incident said the station was closed for about an hour-and-a-half and major disruption was caused to traffic in the area.

Pavements around the station and some lanes of traffic were closed to give London Fire Brigade access to the scene.

The firefighter said: "Thankfully there was no risk to the public, just a bad smell."

He added: "But in these situation we cannot take any chances which is why we took the action we did."

Were you caught up in the incident? Contact the newsdesk on 0208 330 9541 or email weekend**At_Symbol_Here**london.newsquest.co .uk

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'DETERGENT SUICIDE' IN BALDWIN | BALDWIN, DETERGENT, MICH - TOP STORIES - WWMT NEWSCHANNEL 3, http://www.wwmt.com/articles/baldwin-1386104-detergent-mich.html

BALDWIN, Mich. (NEWSCHANNEL 3) - A dangerous trend from Japan is popping up in Michigan. 

Police in Baldwin have reported the state's second 'detergent suicide.' 

A car full of deadly chemical gas was found just south of Baldwin. 

Part of the suicide method calls for notes to be left on the windows, warning of the dangerous gas inside. 

The Big Rapids Fire Department's hazmat crew was called to the scene to deal with the situation. 

Police say if you come across a similar incident, stay away and call police.

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CHEMICAL FUMES MAKE PEOPLE SICK AT A BEAUMONT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL - CBS 19 - THE EYE OF EAST TEXAS NEWS -&AMP;NBSP;, http://www.cbs1 9.tv/Global/story.asp?S=13845080

Firefighters say Polyurethane fumes are to blame for a number of people saying they feel sick at a new Beaumont elementary school campus today.

A Beaumont Fire Department dispatcher says nobody had to be taken to the hospital, but around 11:50 AM, the Beaumont Fire Department was called to reports of fumes making people sick at Martin Elementary at 3500 Pine Street.   That is a new school campus in North Beaumont.  Firefighters discovered the fumes were coming from some contractors putting sealant on the floor in the school's gym.  The fumes had drifted from the gym into the rest of the building.  The building was sealed off and the fire department is using a fan to help ventilate the facility. 

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UTTOXETER ADVERTISER | NEWS | FARM WORKER TAKEN TO HOSPITAL AFTER CHEMICAL SPILL, http://www.uttoxeteradvertiser.co.uk/News/ Farm-worker-taken-to-hospital-after-chemical-spill.htm

A FARM worker has been taken to hospital after mixing chemicals.
Four fire engines from Uttoxeter, Cheadle, Longton and Newcastle and specialist appliances from Stone, Hanley and Newcastle were sent to the chemical spill at a farm in Jardines Lane, Stubwood, at 5.45pm on Thursday. 
On arrival they found a man suffering with breathing difficulties and a chemical spillage in a milking parlour. 
Firefighters in gas tight suits were sent into the parlour to retrieve the chemical drums so they could identify what chemicals had been mixed.
They then worked to contain the spillage before a specialist chemical company was brought in to dispose of the chemicals safely.
Station manager Garry Goodwin said: =93The man had been mixing chemicals to carry out work on the farm.
=93He=92d used the chemicals before but had mixed them in a steel bucket. On this occasion he used larger quantities than normal and mixed them in a plastic bucket. 

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SUDBURY: MIDDLE SCHOOL EVACUATED IN CHEMICAL SPILL DRAMA - NEWS - EAST ANGLIAN DAILY TIMES, http://www.eadt.co.uk/news/sudbury_middle_schoo l_evacuated_in_chemical_spill_drama_1_774770

A SCHOOL has been forced to close today after a chemical spill in one of the science rooms.

More than 500 pupils and staff at Uplands Middle School were evacuated this morning just before 9am when staff detected the smell of chemicals in one part of the school.

Suffolk Fire Service sent crews from Sudbury, Bury St Edmunds and Haverhill to the York Road school.

By the time firefighters arrived all pupils had been sent to the Upper School to ensure they were not at any risk.

Pat Dacy, Suffolk Fire=92s group manager, said a chemical spill within a school meant they had to take every precaution.

Firefighters using full chemical uniforms located a =93small spill=94 in one of the science labs before removing it from the school.

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