Date: Wed, 16 Feb 2011 06:47:31 -0500
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Subject: Chemical Safety headlines from Google

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HAZMAT TEAM AT CEDAR RAPIDS POLICE STATION FOR SMELL IN EVIDENCE AREA | EASTERN IOWA NEWS NOW, http://easterniowanewsnow.c om/2011/02/15/hazmat-team-at-cedar-rapids-police-station-for-smell-in-evid ence-area/

The hazardous materials team found a keg of hydrous ammonia, Fire Department spokesman Greg Buelow said. They moved the unit to an isolated area to offgas. The facility was not evacuated and no injuries were reported.

Update at 2:45 p.m. by Jeff Raasch


CEDAR RAPIDS - Authorities continue to investigate what could have caused an ammonia-type odor in an evidence storage area at the Cedar Rapids Police Department.

A hazardous materials team responded to the maintenance shed at the Police Station around 11:30 a.m. and was still there trying to find the source of the smell at 2:30 p.m.

=93It could be just some products that have been sitting for a period of time that are just starting to decompose,=94 said Dan Dall, acting battalion chief with the Cedar Rapids Fire Department. =93That=92s the best we can figure out right now.=94

Dall said police first noticed the odor Monday, and it was even more noticeable today. Firefighters dressed in green suits and orange boots removed and contained some items from the maintenance building, and then and tested them for gases.

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HAZMAT TEAMS REMOVE CHEMICALS FROM RT. 18 OFFICE | EBS.GMNEWS.COM | EAST BRUNSWICK SENTINEL, http://ebs.gmnews.com/news/2011-02-17 /Front_Page/Hazmat_teams_remove_chemicals_from_Rt_18_office.html

EAST BRUNSWICK =97 Police confiscated chemicals commonly used in the manufacture of methamphetamines from a Route 18 office last week.

Officers and hazardous materials personnel from the county and state responded to 200 Route 18 on Feb. 10 after receiving a report of hazardous materials being stored in one of the tenants=92 offices. Authorities immediately evacuated the building for the safety of the other tenants, and hazmat teams in full protective suits entered the building.

After a thorough search, officials found and removed several household chemicals that police said are commonly used to make methamphetamine.

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MOUNTAIN HOME NEWS: LOCAL NEWS: UPDATE - MERCURY SPILL FORCES SCHOOL EVACUATION, CLOSURE (02/15/11), http://www.mou ntainhomenews.com/story/1703224.html

A mercury spill at Mountain Home High School prompted the evacuation of the main school building followed by the cancellation of all classes Tuesday morning.
A barometer in the school's chemistry room reportedly fell and broke on the floor, spilling "an absolute large amount of mercury," said Police Sgt. Rick Viola from the Mountain Home Police Department.

The barometer was used the previous night by Boise State University instructors to teach a chemistry class at the high school.


Emergency crews discuss plans on dealing with a mercury spill in the high school's chemistry classroom Tuesday morning. Photo by Brian S. Orban
[Click to enlarge]
According to initial reports, the broken barometer was discovered by school faculty around 7 a.m. Tuesday and was covered by rags. Students that arrived early at the school were sent to the annex area as a precaution. By 7:15 a.m., school officials decided to cancel all classes at the school.

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FIRE AT CHEMICAL FACILITY DESTROYS ADBLUE STOCK - FINDADBLUE.COM, http://www.findadblue.com/news/2011/2/15/fire-at- chemical-facility-destroys-adblue-stock/

A large fire at chemical storage and processing plant Chemie-Pack in Moerdijk, Netherlands, has destroyed IBC and packaged AdBlue.

At 14:30 on 5 January 2011 a fire broke out at the company's storage building and spread to nearby offices of W=E4rtsil=E4. Over 250 fire fighters were called to control the blaze which was finally put out at midnight on the same day.

An inventory produced by Moerdijk's municipal authorities listed a tank containing 28 tonnes of AdBlue, 97 IBCs of AdBlue, 639 packs which each contained four five-litre jugs and 1,536 18 litre drums, among other AdBlue-related products.

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SUSPECT IN ROCKLIN BLAST BELIEVED TO BE JUST A HOBBYIST - SACRAMENTO NEWS - LOCAL AND BREAKING SACRAMENTO NEWS | SACRAMENTO BEE, http://www.sacbee.com/2011/02/15/3403107/blast-suspect-hobbyist.html

Linn, 25, was apparently emulating the science show "Mythbusters" when he set off a powerful chemical reaction Sunday evening that sent flames scorching into the air, authorities said.

The Discovery Channel show itself was emulating an experiment readily found on the Internet involving a powerful chemical reaction.

Rocklin police said Linn, who is being held without bail, is an unskilled amateur chemist, but not a terrorist.

"It's our opinion, at this time, it's really a kid screwing around to a higher magnitude than we are used to," said Lt. Terry Roide. "There is nothing that suggests that he has any other agenda other than fooling around with chemicals and watching too much 'Mythbusters.' "

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NORTH SUNSHINE SULPHUR DIOXIDE SPILL CONTAINED - LOCAL NEWS - NEWS - GENERAL - BRIMBANK WEEKLY, http://www.brimbankwee kly.com.au/news/local/news/general/north-sunshine-sulphur-dioxide-spill-co ntained/2076327.aspx

AT least 10 Metropolitan Fire Brigade units were called to contain a chemical spill at a North Sunshine industrial site last Friday.
The units were called to Air Liquide's Bunnett Street site at 8.56am to deal with sulphur dioxide spilling from a 15-tonne tank. An MFB spokesman said the spill was brought under control within two hours. "A sulphur dioxide spill on a wet day is taken very seriously indeed," he said.

Inhaling sulphur dioxide has been associated with increased respiratory symptoms and disease, breathing difficulty and, in extreme cases, death.

Hazmat units attended and air quality was tested to ensure employees and surrounding businesses and residents were safe. "We don't believe it was a major airborne hazard that required a mass evacuation," the spokesman said.

The remaining sulphur dioxide was transferred to another tank. No injuries were reported. Air Liquide did not reply before the Weekly went to print.

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SODIUM SPILL CAUSES EVACUATION | TOOWOOMBA NEWS | LOCAL NEWS IN TOOWOOMBA | TOOWOOMBA CHRONICLE, http://www.thechronicle.com.au/story/2011/02/15/toowoom ba-concordia-chemical-spill/

CONCORDIA Lutheran College students were given a brief reprieve from classes this morning when a chemical spill caused a mass evacuation.

 


An amount of sodium was spilt in a "prep room" near the science laboratories just after 11am, forcing the school to initiate its evacuation procedures.


The highly reactive metal can explode when combined with water or moisture. 

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BUILDING EVACUATED AT SAM HOUSTON STATE UNIVERSITY DUE TO CHEMICAL SPILL | ABC13.COM, http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=news/local&amp;id =7959920

HUNTSVILLE, TX (KTRK) -- Officials at Sam Houston State University evacuated the chemistry and forensic science building due to a chemical spill in the building.

Related Content
MORE: Got a story idea? Let us know!
A spokesperson for the university said that shortly before 8am Tuesday a bottle of bromine was knocked over as students were preparing to do a lab in the building. The bromine is in liquid form, but turns to gas rather quickly.
The building's safety officer was notified and they went through standard procedure and evacuated the building.
Huntsville Fire Department's Hazmat team cleaned up the spill and will continue to monitor the air.

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MAN IN STABLE CONDITION AFTER METH LAB EXPLOSION =BB LOCAL NEWS =BB THE DAILY CITIZEN, DALTON, GA, http://daltondailycitizen.com/local/x532737 327/Man-in-stable-condition-after-meth-lab-explosion

A Murray County man who authorities say was severely burned in a methamphetamine lab explosion earlier this month was in stable condition at the Joseph Stills Burn Center in Augusta. Authorities said he will eventually face charges for possession and production of meth.

John Michael Watters, 36, of 3177 Greeson Bend Road near Spring Place, and Summer Nicole Long, 25, of 1486 Cobb Road near Eton, were taken to Parkridge Medical Center in Chattanooga =93by persons unknown=94 on Friday night, Feb. 4, according to a Murray County Sheriff=92s Office incident report.

=93Chattanooga Police were contacted because Watters was being disruptive (at the hospital) ... (and) was suffering from severe burns to his face and upper body,=94 Officer Kelly Morrison wrote in the report, adding that Chattanooga authorities contacted Capt. Mike Henderson of the sheriff=92s office about a =93possible meth lab explosion=94 at the Greeson Bend Road address.

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HALSTEAD: INVESTIGATION FOLLOWS CHEMICAL BLAZE - NEWS - EAST ANGLIAN DAILY TIMES, http://www.eadt.co.uk/news/halstead_investigation_follows _chemical_blaze_1_801681

FIREFIGHTERS tackled a chemical blaze at a Halstead factory.

The fire broke out at 11.12am yesterday in Broton Drive.

A spokesman for the fire service said two men, a 53-year-old and a 43-year-old, were taken ill and treated by paramedics after they noticed an unusual smell.

A further three were then treated on scene after suffering from exposure to the mystery gas.

Firefighters set up a decontamination unit and crews in gas tight suits entered the building to investigate.

The building was ventilated and left it in the care of the owners who will be working with the Health and Safety Executive to establish the cause of the incident and the type of gas involved.

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METH LAB FOUND IN MACON HOTEL BATHROOM - 11ALIVE.COM | WXIA | ATLANTA, GA, http://www.11alive.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=1777 51&amp;catid=3

MACON, GA -- Managers of a Macon hotel called authorities Sunday after someome complained about smoke and chemical odors coming from one of the guest rooms.

Bibb County Sheriff's deputies found a methamphetamine lab inside the room at the Baymont Inn and Suites on Plantation Drive near Interstate 475. A statement from the sheriff's office said investigators found meth as well a fire damage in the bathroom from the drug's production.

Authorities are now looking 32-year-old Gregory Shawn Hall, the West Bibb County Man the room was registered to. He wasn't in the room when officers arrived.

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WSVN-TV - BODY FOUND IN PICKUP TRUCK WITH TOXIC FUMES, http://ww w.wsvn.com/news/articles/local/21003543718828/

A man and a 10-year-old child were riding on northbound Interstate 95 in a pest control pickup truck, Monday morning. Reportedly, the child was suffering from a seizure and the man was feeling sick, so they pulled off to the side of the road just north of Palm Beach Lakes Boulevard in West Palm Beach.

The driver of the truck became overcome by chemicals and was transported to the hospital. The young boy who was with him suffered serious injuries and was taken to St. Mary's Medical Center in West Palm Beach.

Authorities reportedly returned to the scene of the truck to determine the nature of the fumes. The West Palm Beach Fire Department was the first to arrive on scene. Several police and fire agencies, including HazMat crews, the FBI and the Department of Children and Families, later responded to the scene. The heavy police presence caused traffic on I-95 to be backed up for hours.

Four firefighters and a HazMat worker were overcome by the fumes emanating from the vehicle and were treated at the scene; they are expected to be OK. The chemical found in the truck was deemed dangerous, and firefighters who approached the pickup truck had to be hosed off immediately after getting up close to the vehicle.

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WRECK CAUSES FUEL LEAK, INTERSECTION CLOSURE AT SUNNYLANE AND RENO | NEWSOK.COM, htt p://www.newsok.com/wreck-causes-fuel-leak-intersection-closure-at-sunnylan e-and-reno/article/3540774?custom_click=headlines_widget

DEL CITY - A wreck about 7 a.m. near Sunnylane and Reno has caused an oil leak.
There were no injuries, according to Del City fire Major Brandon Pursell.
Approximately 50 gallons of fuel were spilled on the road, and the intersection at Sunnylane and Reno was closed until around 2 p.m.

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A ROCKLIN MAN IS IN CUSTODY FOR SETTING OFF A LARGE EXPLOSION IN HIS BACKYARD. - KTXL, http://www.fox40.com/ news/headlines/ktxl-man-arrested-for-setting-off-neighborhood-explosion-20 110214,0,3975314.story

ROCKLIN =97 A Rocklin man is in custody for setting off a large explosion in his backyard.

Police got calls Sunday evening about an explosion and resulting fire along Birdie Court, just north of Sunset Boulevard.

Responding officers found chemicals and powders inside the home and a hazmat team was called in to help go through the debris.

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ODOR SICKENS 2 FIREFIGHTERS, COP AT ELGIN BUILDING - CHICAGOTRIBUNE.COM, htt p://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chibrknews-odor-sickens-2-f irefighters-cop-at-elgin-building-20110214,0,5002350.story

Two Elgin firefighters and a police officer were taken to area hospitals Monday night after each became ill at the scene of a hazardous materials call at an apartment building.

Emergency crews were called to investigate the hazmat call at a six-flat apartment building on the 1100 block of Birch Drive at about 5:20 p.m., officials said.

The caller reported a strange smell that caused watery eyes and left a =93metallic taste,=94 according to Elgin spokeswoman Susan Olafson. Arriving crews quickly ruled out natural gas as the cause, but remained on the scene to find the cause.

Eventually, the odor dissipated on its own and no injuries were initially reported, until two firefighters and a police officer became ill and were taken to Sherman Hospital in Elgin, Olafson said.

One firefighter and the police officer complained of chest pains, while the second firefighter developed high blood pressure symptoms. Twelve residents also were taken to area hospitals with nausea and throat irritation.

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