Date: Mon, 28 Mar 2011 08:21:23 -0400
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From: Ralph Stuart <secretary**At_Symbol_Here**DCHAS.ORG>
Subject: Chemical Safety headlines from Google

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POLICE CHARGE MAN AFTER FATAL P-LAB EXPLOSION - NATIONAL - NZ HERALD NEWS, http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&a mp;amp;objectid=10715452

Police have charged a man with allowing drugs to be manufactured after a fatal explosion at a suspected P-lab south of Auckland.

Clint Gordon Curly, 25, died in a blast at the property on Mckinney Rd in Glenbrook just before 6pm on Thursday.

Police have revealed Mr Curly was manufacturing an "illicit drug" when a chemical process went wrong and caused the explosion.

Forensic tests will determine which drug Mr Curly was manufacturing, police said.

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CHEMISTRY DEPARTMENT GOES OUT WITH A BANG | THE OXFORD STUDENT, http://oxfordstudent.com/2011/03/27/chemistry-department-goe s-out-with-a-bang/

It could have been mistaken for end of term celebrations. In fact, the loud noise which stopped passers-by outside the University=92s research lab on Mansfield Road was caused by a chemical explosion.
Two students were sent to hospital after the blast, which drew onlookers and fire-fighters to the scene in minutes. Having closed Mansfield Road at approximately 3.30pm, a police blockade was erected to deter curious onlookers.
Although a spokesperson for Thames Valley Police said they =93were aware of the incident,=94 the precinct will not begin an investigation into the matter.
The Chemistry Department are withholding further details about the explosion, including the state of the injured students, until they conclude their own investigation.
A spokesperson for the University was said: =93A minor explosion occurred at a University chemistry building on Friday afternoon but was contained by a safety cabinet. Two people were injured and were taken to hospital. The fire brigade were called but the building was reoccupied and there was no risk to the public and no indication of criminal activity.=94

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UPDATE: CHEMICAL LEAK CLOSED BY HAZMAT CREW, http://www.kktv .com/home/headlines/118736939.html

Authorities tell us that a metal washing company, Finishes Ltd., accidentally left a unit on. With the valve left open, chemicals spewed out and flowed towards a runoff into a nearby creek. Crews set up a temporary dam to prevent the chemicals from getting into the water. Authorities say that the dam worked, preventing the chemicals from spilling into the creek.

Twenty firefighters and firefighter Hazmat crews responded to the spill. Hazmat crews identified the leak as a second rinse cleaning solution. Authorities say that while they were initially concerned about the dangers of the chemicals getting into the creek, they determined that the cleaning solution was not dangerous to "people, animals or vegetation."

There was never a concern that the leak could become a vapor hazard, so no evacuations were made in the area.

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TRAIN DERAILMENT FORCES EVACUATION | CANADA | NEWS | TORONTO SUN, http://www.torontosun.com/news/canada/2011/03/27/17773211.html

PORT HOPE, Ont. - Sunday's train derailment east of Port Hope, Ont., could have unleashed a "perfect storm" due to the hazardous materials being transported, a firefighter said.

The 12:15 p.m. derailment just east of Port Hope, 109 kilometres east of Toronto, sparked an evacuation order that affected about two dozen homes in a rural area.

Train cars involved in the derailment include one containing propane, two with aviation fuel, one carrying residual sulphuric acid and two with residual petroleum. As well, a natural gas line was reportedly ruptured.

At least one tanker could be seen burning approximately a half-kilometre away and sparked a grass fire.

Flames were still coming from the area late Sunday.

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THE PRESS ASSOCIATION: CHILDREN IN CHEMICAL SPILL FEARS, http://www.google.com/hos tednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5g3q245kjFPW1RvwAQSu5wbwomaXw?docId=N023870 1301177698739A

Four children have been taken to hospital as a precaution after fears they may have come into contact with waste chemicals near a dental practice, police said.
Firefighters said they were called to reports of a spillage of mercury capsules at the dentist's surgery in Market Place, Whitburn, West Lothian, at around 5.20pm.
But Lothian and Borders Police said there had been no spillage and it was thought youngsters may have been contaminated with traces of chemical residue from waste products at the rear of the dental surgery.
A spokeswoman for Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue Service said earlier this afternoon: "Four children and one adult were taken to St John's Hospital. Two pumps and other specialist vehicles were sent to the scene. They cleared up the spillage."
The Scottish Ambulance Service said they were called by the fire service and sent two ambulances and four specialist vehicles to the scene.
"There was a report of a chemical spillage," a spokesman added.
A spokesman for Lothian and Borders Police said tonight: "Ambulance and fire and rescue services were in attendance and the four children were taken, purely as a precautionary measure, to St Johns Hospital in Livingston. They were shortly thereafter reunited with their parents. No medical treatment was required.

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TFD FINDS METH LAB DURING FIRE CALL, http://www.kjrh.com/dpp/news/local_news/tfd-finds-meth-lab-duri ng-fire-call

TULSA - Tulsa police and Hazmat crews were called in to assist firefighters Friday night after a meth lab was found during a fire call.

TFD responded to the call in the 300 block of East 11th Street just before 11 p.m. Friday.  Firefighters found smoke in the area but no fire.

Upon further investigation, firefighters found a meth lab inside the home and several people inside.  The occupants were evacuated and no injuries were reported.

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ALARMS SOUND AT MERCY REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER - MORNINGJOURNAL.COM, http://morningjournal.com/articles/2011/03/26/news/doc4d8d 6fde203e1606448702.txt

LORAIN =97 Several Mercy Regional Medical Center staff members were evacuated yesterday after alarms sounded at the hospital at 10:55 a.m. indicating a hazardous material leak.

The alarm indicted there was a high level of ethylene oxide leaking in the sterilization area. However, hospital spokeswoman Kasha Frese said no leak was found and no one was injured. She called the incident a false alarm.

Lorain fire Capt. Dennis Livchak said the area contains equipment used in the sterilization of surgical equipment. Livchak said there is a bank of cylinders in that room containing the ethylene oxide, which has a high risk of fire and exposure hazard, which is why an alarm is used in the area.

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HAZARDOUS MATERIALS INCIDENT CLEANED UP AT MEMORIAL AUDITORIUM | BURLINGTON FREE PRESS | BURLINGTONFREEPRESS.COM, http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/article/2011 0325/NEWS02/110325009/Hazardous-materials-incident-cleaned-up-Memorial-Aud itorium?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE

The Burlington Fire Department set up a perimeter around Memorial Auditorium on Friday morning, evacuated the building and called the Vermont Hazardous Materials Response Team to the scene to deal with a possible toxic hazard.

The incident began during a class in the auditorium=92s print studio Thursday evening when a student, =93as part of the artistic process,=94 Assistant Fire Marshall Barry Simays said, added zinc to a container of nitric acid and created an =93orange-red-colored cloud.=94 

Those in the print shop took the container outside, but no one called the fire department until Friday morning, Simays said. 

The hazardous-materials specialists identified the substance in the container, and the building was declared safe at about 2:30 p.m. Friday. One unidentified individual was said to have experienced =93minor respiratory=94 problems, but there were no other injuries. 

Nine firefighters and seven members of the hazardous materials team were at the auditorium for about four hours Friday as part of the cleanup.

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FATAL BLAST WHEN WORKER USES LIGHTER TO PEER INTO FLAMMABLE DRUM | REUTERS, http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/03/25/us-exp losion-massachusetts-idUSTRE72O5NL20110325

(Reuters) - A worker died in a fiery explosion at a Massachusetts car dealership after he apparently used a cigarette lighter to illuminate the inside of a 55-gallon drum of flammable cleaning solvents, authorities said on Friday.

Daniel Martinez, 33, was killed in the blast at Balise Honda in West Springfield on Wednesday morning, said Deputy Fire Chief Robert Manchino. Another worker suffered smoke inhalation.

While speaking by cell phone with a chemical supplier, Martinez ignited the lighter to check the level of auto cleaning solvent inside the drum. The barrel exploded and was propelled about 30 feet into the air before it struck the roof.

"We found him quickly, but he was already deceased," Manchino said.

Investigators used video from a surveillance camera to determine what caused the explosion and fire. Martinez was a contract worker at Balise employed by Real Clean Automotive Detailing.

Firefighters fought the intense blaze for more than an hour. The fire was continually fueled by multiple barrels of chemical solvents at the site.


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