Links to details available at http://pinboard.in/u:dchas

SUSPICIOUS CONTAINER FOUND IN MANCHESTER - BENNINGTON BANNER, 
http://www.benningtonbanner.com/local/ci_18004095

MANCHESTER -- Manchester Police said a resident of Richville Road found 
a suspicious container on the roadside at about 2:30 p.m. Thursday.

After Cpl. PJ Owens responded and discovered the canister was consistent 
with the type used in making methamphetamine, an illegal drug, he felt 
ill, police reported. He was taken as a precaution to Rutland Regional 
Medical Center for examination.

Manchester firefighters and rescue personnel responded and dealt with 
the situation as a hazardous materials situation. The Manchester Fire 
Department determined that the container did not hold hazardous 
materials, but there was an indication its purpose was some sort of 
incendiary device, police said.

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LEAKING CHEMICAL CANNISTER PROMPTS HAZARDOUS MATERIALS RESPONSE IN SANTA 
ROSA | PRESSDEMOCRAT.COM, 
http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20110505/NEWS/110509749/1350?Title=
Leaking-chemical-cannister-prompts-investigation-in-Santa-Rosa-#

A leaking cannister of compressed hydrogen chloride collected as 
recyclable scrap metal turned a west Santa Rosa neighborhood into a hot 
zone Thursday as hazardous materials personnel investigated a cloud of 
vented gas.
...

A Kerney Street resident thought the gas cloud was smoke when she 
reported a debris fire in her neighbor's side yard at 6:30 a.m. 
Thursday, authorities said.

Responding firefighters were investigating the =93smoke=94 when they 
lifted a piece of plastic sheeting and observed the rusted tank with a 
=93poisonous=94 label that explained why their throats were becoming 
irritated, fire officials said.

They quickly retreated, and the area at the Kerney Street/Lance Drive 
was closed to traffic, while neighbors were told to stay indoors and 
close windows, police said.
...

A police officer who talked occupant of the duplex unit learned he was a 
scrap metal recycler who had recovered the old tank from a Highway 12 
land-owner, thinking it empty.

A full-scale hazardous materials response was launched, bringing fire, 
police, hazardous materials and medical personnel to the area for 
several hours of elaborate set-up, complete with decontamination area, 
preceding an approach to the tank by two men in encapsulated suits.

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FIRE DESTROYS REHOBOTH FOUNDRY - THE SUN CHRONICLE ONLINE - NEWS, 
http://www.thesunchronicle.com/articles/2011/05/05/news/9261627.txt

REHOBOTH - A raging four-alarm fire fueled by an accidental chemical 
reaction poured into molds destroyed a large foundry off Bay State Road 
Wednesday morning, leading to a physical loss estimated in the millions 
of dollars and may leave at least 14 people out of work.

...
The fire erupted after an employee mistakenly mixed two reactive 
chemicals, producing a great amount of heat and flammable gas, fire 
officials said. "The reaction developed into a rapid fire," Pray said, 
prompting the activation of the Bristol County Fire Task Force when 
local firefighters realized the scope of the fire.

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HOTEL WORKER HOSPITALIZED AFTER MIXING CLEANING CHEMICALS | 
SEACOASTONLINE.COM, 
http://www.seacoastonline.com/articles/20110505-NEWS-110509890

PORTSMOUTH =97 A hotel maintenance worker was transported by ambulance 
to the hospital Thursday after inadvertently mixing cleaning chemicals 
which, when combined, created a chlorine vapor.

The accident occurred at 10:12 a.m. at the Motel 6 on Gosling Road, said 
Assistant Fire Chief Steve Achilles. The call was initially reported as 
a hazardous materials incident which created medical problems for the 
hotel worker, he said.

Firefighters found the worker on the first floor where he was 
experiencing =93non life threatening respiratory irritation,=94 said 
Achilles. An odor of chlorine was detected by firefighters wearing 
protective clothing who checked for toxicity and ventilated the area, he 
said.

Eighteen guests staying at the hotel were allowed to remain in their 
rooms after it was determined that the chemical vapor was isolated, said 
Achilles.

Firefighters determined the chlorine vapor was released when the worker 
poured a cleaning solvent from a larger container into a smaller one 
which contained residue of another incompatible chemical. The incident 
was =93purely accidental,=94 said Achilles.

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3 DEPUTIES OVERCOME BY FUMES AT COURTHOUSE | PALM, BEACH, COURTHOUSE - 
WPEC 12 WEST PALM BEACH, 
http://www.cbs12.com/news/palm-4732327-beach-courthouse.html

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- Three Palm Beach County sheriff's deputies were 
overcome by fumes when they emptied an "amnesty box" of items 
surrendered at courthouse security.

Officials said some sort of vinegar-based chemical was released. West 
Palm Beach Fire-Rescue responded for aid. The deputies were taken to St 
Mary's Medical Center as a precaution and the first floor of the county 
courthouse was evacuated.

They do not believe the chemical release was a criminal act.

The amnesty box is where people must put things that they are not 
allowed to bring into the courthouse.

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LAX SAFETY BLAMED IN DEATH AT DUPONT - BUSINESS - THE BUFFALO NEWS, 
http://www.buffalonews.com/business/article414021.ece

 Federal regulators Thursday said "serious" safety violations at the 
DuPont chemical plant in the Town of Tonawanda led to last November's 
chemical explosion that killed a contractor working at the site.

Following a six-month probe, the Occupational Safety and Health 
Administration announced it plans to fine DuPont and contractor 
Mollenberg-Betz nearly $117,000 for 17 violations stemming from the 
blast that killed Richard J. Folaron and badly burned a co-worker.

A search of The Buffalo News archives found the combined penalty is the 
largest proposed fine issued by the local OSHA office for workplace 
safety violations over the past two years.

OSHA cited the companies for failing to make sure that any chemical 
residue and flammable vapors were cleaned out of the storage tank before 
Folaron and William R. Freeburg started doing welding work there.

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FOUR-ALARM FIRE AT REHOBOTH FOUNDRY - THE SUN CHRONICLE ONLINE - NEWS, 
http://www.thesunchronicle.com/articles/2011/05/04/news/9259472.txt

REHOBOTH - Firefighters from Rehoboth and several surrounding areas are 
still fighting a four-alarm fire that broke out in a foundry off Bay 
State Road at about 7:30 this morning.

The large brick building housing the G & W Foundry was consumed by 
the blaze that employees said appeared to start at the rear of the 
building and spread quickly, creating heavy smoke conditions.

Fire Chief Robert Pray said the first crew arriving to the scene 
reported fire through the roof. The business specializes in casting and 
forging.

Pray said although the cause of the fire is still under investigation, 
preliminary indications are that workers were pouring chemicals at the 
time. "Something happened and it developed into a rapid fire," he said.

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