Chemical Safety Headlines =46rom Google
Monday, June 13, 2011 8:15:01 AM

   A service of the ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety
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Table of Contents (10 articles)

CHEMICAL FIRE SETS OFF EXPLOSIONS
Tags: us_IA, transportation, explosion, response, unknown_chemical

SMALL EXPLOSION, FIRE AT MT. VERNON FACTORY
Tags: us_NY, public, explosion, response, unknown_chemical

HAZMAT CREWS CALLED TO HOSPITAL AFTER REPORTS OF EXPLOSION
Tags: us_PA, public, release, response, oxygen

16 IN HOSPITAL AFTER CHEMICAL SPILL
Tags: United, Kingdom, public, release, injury, ammonia

SEWER BLAST LIKELY FROM CHEMICAL DUMP
Tags: Canada, public, explosion, response, unknown_chemical

MAN, DAUGHTER BURNT ALIVE IN FACTORY FIRE
Tags: India, industrial, fire, death, unknown_chemical

UPDATED: 7 HOSPTIALIZED AFTER CHEMICAL SPILL AT SIGNAL BAY WATERPARK
Tags: us_VA, public, release, response, pool_chemicals

KONA COMMUNITY HOSPITAL EMERGENCY ROOM EVACUATED, CLOSED FOR SEVERAL 
HOURS AFTER CHEMICAL LEAK :: THE REPUBLIC
Tags: us_HI, laboratory, release, injury, xylene

HAZMAT CREWS LEAVE STONY BROOK SOUTHAMPTON; SOURCE OF ODOR STILL UNDER 
INVESTIGATION
Tags: us_NY, laboratory, release, injury, unknown_chemical

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA NEWS, SPORTS, AND WEATHER
Tags: us_IA, public, explosion, injury, meth_lab, propane

---------------------------------------------

CHEMICAL FIRE SETS OFF EXPLOSIONS

http://www.redbankgreen.com/2011/06/chemical-fire-sets-off-explosions.html

Tags: us_IA, transportation, explosion, response, unknown_chemical

A chemical fire at a Rumson home Friday afternoon spurred the evacuation 
of two homes and kept emergency workers on the scene into Saturday 
morning trying to contain a cantankerous series of explosions.

=93It sounded like the Fourth of July fireworks for about three hours,=94 
said Bob Maras, who was one of dozens of volunteer responders who worked 
about 12 hours outside the home at 3 Sailers Way.

The cause of the fire, just off Rumson Road, was unknown Saturday, Maras 
said. But he speculated that a vehicle malfunction sparked the blaze.

He said the fire broke out in a pool cleaning company=92s box-truck at 
the residence sometime around 2 p.m. Friday. Although firefighters were 
able to quickly extinguish the initial =93fully involved fire,=94 its 
mix with chlorine set off a number of small explosions that occurred 
over the course of hours. The scene was cleaned up and cleared out by 
about 3 a.m. Saturday, Mayor John Ekdahl said.

Further hampering efforts was the presence of the chemical magnesium, 
which can=92t be extinguished with water and is difficult to contain 
with typical firefighting agents, essentially forcing the responders =97 
which included Monmouth County=92s Hazmat team =97 to wait out the 
explosive chemical=92s supply.

---------------------------------------------

SMALL EXPLOSION, FIRE AT MT. VERNON FACTORY

http://www.lohud.com/article/20110613/NEWS02/106130321/Small-explosion-fir
e-Mt-Vernon-factory?odyssey=mod%7Cnewswell%7Ctext%7CNews%7Cs
Tags: us_NY, public, explosion, response, unknown_chemical

MOUNT VERNON =97 Firefighters responded to a blaze about 8:55 a.m. 
Sunday at 160 S. Terrace Ave. Fire Capt. Edward Stevenson said several 
people live in two second-floor apartments above the warehouse, where 
components for the U.S. Navy are made. A small chemical explosion inside 
a refrigerator caused several nearby objects, including a bookshelf, to 
catch fire. Nobody was injured. Fire officials said a refrigerator 
malfunction may have caused the explosion. Electricity was restored and 
residents were allowed to return several hours later, he said. "They are 
safe and sound," Stevenson said.

---------------------------------------------

HAZMAT CREWS CALLED TO HOSPITAL AFTER REPORTS OF EXPLOSION
http://www.wtae.com/r/28210803/detail.html
Tags: us_PA, public, release, response, oxygen

MT. PLEASANT, Pa. -- HAZMAT crews were called to a Mt. Pleasant hospital 
after reports of an oxygen tank exploding.
When crews arrived at Frick Hospital, they discovered the problem was a 
valve malfunction on a tank outside of the hospital. Firefighters said 
the malfunction made a sound like an explosion.
As a precaution, fire crews kept all vehicles out of the area, and the 
hospital went into what's known as a "Code Black." Code Black means any 
emergency patients would have been diverted to another hospital.
It took HAZMAT crews a little over an hour to shut the valve off of the 
8,000 gallon tank.

---------------------------------------------

16 IN HOSPITAL AFTER CHEMICAL SPILL

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/16-in-hospital-after-chemic
al-spill-2295827.html
Tags: United, Kingdom, public, release, injury, ammonia

Sixteen people were taken to hospital today after a chemical spill at a 
business park, a fire service said.

Others were treated for the effects of chemical inhalation by paramedics 
at the scene of the spillage at Crossways Business Park in Bridge Close, 
Dartford, Kent.

None of those affected was believed to be in a life-threatening 
condition.

A spokeswoman for Kent Fire and Rescue Service said a small quantity of 
ammonia had been contained.

---------------------------------------------

SEWER BLAST LIKELY FROM CHEMICAL DUMP

http://www.medicinehatnews.com/front-page-news/sewer-blast-likely-from-che
mical-dump-06112011.html
Tags: Canada, public, explosion, response, unknown_chemical

The city's unofficial motto "all hell for a basement" took on new 
meaning after a woman barely escaped a home that burst into flames and 
manhole covers were blown into the air Thursday night.
"There was a giant bang and the ground shook for a couple of minutes," 
said Fred Dee who was working at the All-Nighter Shell Station when the 
manhole cover in front of the business was blasted off its mounting.
He said the cover just missed a car that was passing over it when it was 
blown into the air around 10:40 p.m. Thursday.
The blast was strong enough to set off several security alarms along or 
near South Railway Street. 
Across the city near the intersection of 12th Street SW and Sixth 
Avenue, a house burst into flames at the same time.
Neighbours say the woman at the home reported hearing rumbling sounds 
coming from the basement prior to home bursting into multicolored 
flames.
She escaped with her two dogs unharmed but shaken up, according to 
neighbours.
Several people along the street say there has been chemical and gas 
smells prominent in the area for several months prior to Thursday's 
house fire.
Many on the street say they have been experiencing health-related 
problems such as headaches and nausea for several weeks and have 
reported the incidents to city officials.

---------------------------------------------

MAN, DAUGHTER BURNT ALIVE IN FACTORY FIRE

http://daily.bhaskar.com/article/RAJ-JPR-man-daughter-burnt-alive-in-facto
ry-fire-2179231.html
Tags: India, industrial, fire, death, unknown_chemical

Jaipur: A 15-year-old girl died along with his father when a fire broke 
out in an ink manufacturing factory on Baba Harishchandra Marg on 
Friday.

The factory, operating at the ground floor of a three-storey building, 
was located in the congested locality.

The deceased's brother Harsh, 12, and neighbour Toshin suffered burn 
injuries. Two elderly Manmohan and Shikha are also hospitalised due to 
shock and cardiac arrest following the incident.

The chemical stored at the factory caught fire but it is yet to be 
ascertained what caused the spark of the chemical.

The district administration which swung into action after the incident 
had ordered two separate committees to investigate the incident and 
suggest some solutions for preventing hazardous activities operating in 
residential and commercial areas.

---------------------------------------------

UPDATED: 7 HOSPTIALIZED AFTER CHEMICAL SPILL AT SIGNAL BAY WATERPARK

http://manassaspark.patch.com/articles/7-hosptialized-after-chemical-spill
-at-signal-bay-water-park
Tags: us_VA, public, release, response, pool_chemicals

Signal Bay Waterpark was evacuated and seven swimmers were treated after 
a chemical spill in the pool Saturday afternoon.

It happened at about 1:30 p.m. when lifeguards noticed a "chemical 
smell" coming from the water and saw a yellow patch forming in the pool, 
Manassas Park city manager Jim Zumwalt said about an hour after the 
incident.

E-911 was called and the pool was immediately evacuated, he said.

One child complained of breathing problems and was treated on scene by a 
lifeguard and only that lifeguard, despite reports of that person being 
helped by another swimmer, Manassas Park Department of Parks and 
Recreation Director Catherine Morretta said.

---------------------------------------------

KONA COMMUNITY HOSPITAL EMERGENCY ROOM EVACUATED, CLOSED FOR SEVERAL 
HOURS AFTER CHEMICAL LEAK :: THE REPUBLIC

http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/f19c7b64f4ad48e39f1a19c4aed2efd4/HI-
-Emergency-Room-Evacuation/
Tags: us_HI, laboratory, release, injury, xylene

KAILUA-KONA, Hawaii =97 A Big Island emergency room was evacuated and 
closed for several hours after an apparent leak of a chemical used in 
the hospital's morgue and laboratory.

Kona Community Hospital employees reported smelling a strong odor in the 
emergency room Thursday morning, prompting an evacuation of about 35 
people.

West Hawaii Today reported Friday six patients and seven staff members 
overcome by fumes were treated in other areas of the hospital. There 
were no serious injuries.

A fire department hazardous materials team deemed the area safe after 
checking air and flammability levels.

Capt. Kaipo Parish told the newspaper the exposure occurred when the 
chemical called xylene was being transferred between containers.

---------------------------------------------

HAZMAT CREWS LEAVE STONY BROOK SOUTHAMPTON; SOURCE OF ODOR STILL UNDER 
INVESTIGATION

http://www.27east.com/news/article.cfm/Southampton-Village-Surrounding-Are
as/387041/HazMat-Crews-Respond-To-Marine-Science-Center-At-Stony-Brook-Sou
thampton
Tags: us_NY, laboratory, release, injury, unknown_chemical

Hazardous material crews left the Marine Science Center at Stony Brook 
Southampton at around noon on Friday, eight hours after they were called 
to the scene to investigate the odor of leaking gas.

Investigators still have not determined the source of the odor, or the 
type of gas that was detected, according to officials with the college 
and the Southampton Fire Department.

=93Everyone has cleared out,=94 said Southampton Fire Department Captain 
Chris Brenner on Friday afternoon. =93The road is reopen,=94 he added, 
referring to Little Neck Road near the campus, which had been closed 
since early this morning.

HazMat crews from Southampton Town, East Hampton Town and Brookhaven 
National Laboratory all responded to the Shinnecock Hills campus, which 
is owned by Stony Brook University, at around 3:30 a.m. after two campus 
police officers were =93initially overcome by fumes=94 when 
investigating an alarm, according to Southampton Fire Department Chief 
Rodney Pierson. Firefighting crews from Southampton, Bridgehampton, 
North Sea and Hampton Bays responded to the call.

---------------------------------------------

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA NEWS, SPORTS, AND WEATHER

http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/Man-Burned-When-Meth-Lab-Explodes-123688749
.html
Tags: us_IA, public, explosion, injury, meth_lab, propane

MARTENSDALE, Iowa - A home in Martensdale was destroyed when a propane 
tank exploded Friday night, according to fire officials. Investigators 
said the tank may have been part of a meth lab.

The home at 375 Highway 28 was officially unoccupied, but authorities 
said a person was inside the home when the explosion occurred at about 
8:20 p.m. The Warren County Sheriff's Office declined to identify the 
person, but said the man had burns to the upper half of his body and was 
taken to Iowa Methodist Medical Center. He was later transferred to Iowa 
City Hospital's burn unit where he is in stable condition.

"The explosion is believed to be the result of chemical fumes building 
up inside the house and then being ignited by an unknown source," a 
sheriff's office news release said. "Investigation at the scene turned 
up evidence of someone attempting to manufacture methamphetamine using 
the current trend of 'One Pot' manufacturing."

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