Date: Wed, 15 Jun 2011 08:21:55 -0400
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From: Ralph Stuart <rstuartcih**At_Symbol_Here**ME.COM>
Subject: Chemical Safety Headlines From Google (18 articles)

Chemical Safety Headlines =46rom Google
Wednesday, June 15, 2011 8:15:0 2 AM

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Table of Contents (18 a rticles)

NO ONE INJURED IN EXPLOSION AT DEEP TUNNEL RESERVOIR
Tags: us_IL, public, explos ion, response, methane, water

POOL CHEMICAL MIXUP LEADS TO HAZMAT SITUATION IN WE ST JORDAN - ABC 4.COM - SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH NEWS
Tags: us_ut , pool_chemicals, release, response, injuries

U OF A BUILDING EVACUATED AFTER POTEN TIALLY DANGEROUS CHEMICAL IS FOUND
Tags: Canada, education, discovery, response, ammo nia_silver_nitrate

FIREFIGHTERS DEAL WITH CHEMICAL SPILL AT PORTSMOUTH=E2=80=99S LI MBERLINE INDUSTRIAL ESTATE
Tags: United, Kingdom, industrial, release, response, hydr ochloric_acid

FIRE AT CHARLESTON CHEMICAL PLANT SENDS 5 TO HOSPITAL
Tags: us_TN, industrial, fi re, injury, unknown_chemical

NO FIRE EXTINGUISHER AT BLAZE UNIT
Tags: India, industrial, fire , response, plastics

OSHA CITES W.VA. PLANT FOR 18 VIOLATIONS IN BLAST
Tags: us_WV, industria l, explosion, death, follow-up

FIRE CHIEF: FATAL TANKER TRUCK CRASH "COULD HAVE BE EN WORSE"&LT;/FONT&GT;
Tags: us_NY, transportation, explosion, death, ethanol

LA. C HEMICAL PLANT EXPLOSION CAUSES EVACUATIONS
Tags: us_LA, industrial, explosion, respon se, unknown_chemical

8 KILLED AS CHEMICAL-LOADED TRUCK EXPLODES
Tags: China, transportation , explosion, death, flammables

DANGER FROM EXPLOSION IN INDEPENDENCE HAS PASSED
Tags: us_MO , public, explosion, response, fireworks

WELDING SUPPLY FIRE BLAMED ON DAMAGED DRUMS
Tags: us _OR, industrial, explosion, response, calcium_carbide, follow-up

GAS EXPLOSION DEST ROYS STORAGE FACILITY, SENDS ONE TO THE HOSPITAL
Tags: us_CO, public, explosion, inju ry, natural_gas

WWII GIRL SCOUT KIT BRINGS HAZMAT TEAM TO TUDOR PLACE
Tags: us_DC, public, d iscovery, response, picric_acid

NEWS, WEATHER AND SPORTS FOR CHATTANOOGA AND THE TE NNESSEE VALLEY
Tags: us_TN, industrial, fire, injury, unknown_chemical

FARM CHEMICAL LEAK UNDER CONTROL
Tags : us_IN, industrial, release, response, ammonia

HAZMAT, BOMB SQUAD CALLED FOR B OY SCOUT FIRST AID KIT
Tags: us_CO, public, discovery, response, picric_acid

CHEMICAL FIRE I N ALBANY PROMPTS EVACUATION; NO INJURIES REPORTED
Tags: us_OR, industrial, explosion, r esponse, calcium_carbide


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

NO ONE I NJURED IN EXPLOSION AT DEEP TUNNEL RESERVOIR
http://www.suntimes.com/5954229-417/explosion-reported-in-deep-tunne l-in-south-holland.html
Tags: us_IL, public, explosion, response, methane, water

The explos ion had such violent force it blew three-foot chunks of steel more than 100 y ards.

Bu t though cars were damaged and plaster fell from the ceiling of nearby build ings, nobody was hurt in the massive underground explosion in the Deep Tunne l flood protection system in south suburban South Holland Tuesday morning, officials said.

A build up of methane gas from sewage deposited in the tunnel du ring recent floods =E2=80=94 perhaps ignited by an electric compressor used t o measure the depth of flood waters =E2=80=94 is suspected of causing the bl ast, according to a source familiar with the Metropolitan Water Reclamation D istrict=E2=80=99s investigation of the accident.

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

POOL CHEMICAL MIXUP LEADS TO HAZMAT SITUATION IN WEST JORDAN - ABC  ;4.COM - SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH NEWS
h ttp://www.abc4.com/content/news/slc/story/Pool-chemical-mixup-leads-to-HazMa t-situation-in/7ehSUtT5oEKsssCMB9TCOg.cspx
Tags: us_ut, pool_chemicals, release, respo nse, injuries

WEST JORDAN, Utah (ABC 4 News) - A chemical mistake triggered a HazMat s ituation in West Jordan on Monday.

Fire officials say a pool worker at the Renaissa nce Condo Complex accidentally poured bleach into a container already c ontaining acid.  Firefighters quickly closed off the area, and people a lready in the complex were told to stay inside their homes for a time.

Investigato rs say the worker did inhale some of the fumes and was taken to the hospital , but was able to tell emergency crews what happened.  No one else was h urt.

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

U OF A BUILDING EVACUATED AFTER POTEN TIALLY DANGEROUS CHEMICAL IS FOUND
http://edmonton.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20110614/ edm_uofa_110614/20110614/?hub=EdmontonHome
Tags: Canada, education, discovery, respons e, ammonia_silver_nitrate

The University Of Alberta dentistry-pharmacy building ha d to be evacuated Tuesday afternoon after a potentially dangerous c hemical was located on campus.

A spokesperson with Edmonton Fire Rescue Services s ays fire crews assisted in the transport of the chemical, ammonia silver nit rate. Officials say the building was evacuated after the chemical was discov ered by a renovator clearing out a classroom.

Officials say if the chemical is not b eing stored properly, it could explode. As a precaution, the Hazmat team and police were called into remove the chemical.

"They will be disposing the material t hat they find. Edmonton Police Service will take it away and dispose of it i n a correct manner," said Insp. Al Belanger with University of Alberta secur ity.

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

FIREFIGHTERS DEAL WITH CHEMICAL SPILL AT PORTSMOUTH=E2=80=99S LIMBERLINE INDUSTRIAL ESTATE
http://www.portsmouth.co .uk/news/local/east-hampshire/firefighters_deal_with_chemical_spill_at_ports mouth_s_limberline_industrial_estate_1_2771899
Tags: United, Kingdom, industrial, re lease, response, hydrochloric_acid

WORKERS were evacuated after a chemical spill on an industrial estate released at least 100 litres of dangerous acid.

The leak was c aused by a fork lift truck puncturing a plastic container containing hydroch loric acid outside Lofting Banstead &amp; Lustre Finishers at Gunstore R oad, in Hilsea.

Limberline Road was cordoned off by firefighters at its junction w ith Limberline Spur after about 100 of the spilled liquid =E2=80=93 which ca n be highly corrosive and cause serious burns =E2=80=93 poured onto the grou nd shortly before 12.30pm.

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

FIRE AT CHA RLESTON CHEMICAL PLANT SENDS 5 TO HOSPITAL
http://www.wrcbtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=14898910
< div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin- left: 0px; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit- composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-f rame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); font-size: medium; ">Tags: us_TN, industrial, fire , injury, unknown_chemical

CHARLESTON, TN. (WRCB)-- A fire at Arch Chemical pl ant in Charleston sends five to the hospital, Monday afternoon.< /div>

Bradley Count y EMS spokesperson Stan Clark says the fire began around 4:30 pm.

Clark says& nbsp;a total of five victims were taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation , heat exhaustion and minor burns. One of them was flown to Erlang er via Air Evac. All patients are considered stable.

The fire is now out, but EMS wa s on standby until 6pm if further assistance was needed.

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

NO FIRE EXTINGUISHER AT BLAZE UNIT
Ta gs: India, industrial, fire, response, plastics

CHENNAI: Firemen attempting to dou se the flames at a polymer plate processing unit on Anna Salai on Tuesday, w ho were initially unable to enter the area due to the thick, chemical-filled smoke, could be seen spraying foam through a window from a ladder outside t he building.
=E2 =80=9CThe firm stored highly combustible material and that caused the enormo us amount of smoke,=" said Priya Ravichandran, Divisional Officer (Ce ntral) of the Fire &amp; Rescue Services department.
Assistant Commissioner of Police (Tr iplicane) Senthil Kumaran and his team were present to deal with any eventua lity, while CoP J K Tripathy arrived around 11.30 am to take stock of the situation. Fire officers said the exact loss of property could not b e estimated immediately.
Fingers were pointed at the firm owners for running a "manuf acturing unit in a commercial complex=". Other occupants of the build ing said the firm did not even possess fire extinguishers and the owner had t o fetch two from a bank on the first floor.

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

OSHA CITES W.VA. PLANT FOR 18 VIOLATIONS IN BLAST
Tags: us_WV, industrial, explosion, d eath, follow-up

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. -- A federal agency investigating a December exp losion that killed three men announced Tuesday it cited a New Cumberland, W. Va chemical plant for 18 violations, 16 of them considered serious and one l abeled "willful."

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration said titanium a nd zirconium recycler AL Solutions could have prevented the tragedy but inst ead exposed workers to unnecessary risks. The proposed fines total $154,000.

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

FIRE CHIEF: FATAL TANKER TRUCK CRASH "COULD HAVE BEEN WORSE"&LT;/FONT&GT;
Tags: us_NY, transportation, explosion, death, e thanol

The tanker truck crash that killed a driver and knocked out power to 81 cus tomers today could have been even worse, according to fire officials.

The deadly cr ash took place at the intersection of 31-A and Mathes Road in the t own of Barre, just after 4 a.m. Neighbors say they lost power in t heir homes and shortly after, heard three loud explosions. 

Barre Fire Chief J esse Babcock says an infamously dangerous bend in the road caused the driver to plow into a patch of trees and hit a utility pole. Due to the truck cont aining eight-thousand gallons of ethanol, firefighters had to use foam to co ntain the fire.

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

LA. CHEMICAL PLANT EXPLOS ION CAUSES EVACUATIONS
Tags: us_LA, industrial, explosion, response, unknown_chemical

AP)  NEW IBER IA, La. (AP) =E2=80=94 State police say nobody was hurt when explosions rock ed a Multi-Chem Corp. plant in a New Iberia industrial park Tuesday afterno on.
Trooper St ephen Hammons says all employees are accounted for, and the fire is being al lowed to burn itself out. He says Acadiana Regional Airport was closed, and a 1-mile area around the plant was evacuated.

The plant is near a primate center wi th 6,500 animals. University of Louisiana-Lafayette spokeswoman Christine Pa yton says those primates nearest to the plant were checked, and were fine.

The Dai ly Iberian newspaper reports that explosions could be heard 20 minutes after the first, which was about 4 p.m.

A spokesman for Multi-Chem Group in Houston said the company was gathering information on what happened. The company bl ends oilfield production chemicals.

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

8 KIL LED AS CHEMICAL-LOADED TRUCK EXPLODES
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2011-06/15/cont ent_12699435.htm
Tags: China, transportation, explosion, death, flammables

NANNING - Eight people were killed and six other injured after a truck carrying flammable c hemicals exploded in a parking lot Tuesday afternoon in southwest C hina's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, local authorities said.

The blast occurred at around 6:30 pm in the Litang township of Binyang county when w orkers were unloading the truck which carried flammable chemicals including p otassium chlorate and carbon powder, said a spokesman with the county govern ment's information office.

A preliminary investigation showed that workers' careles sness may have triggered the explosion, said the spokesman.

The fire from the blast e ngulfed over 20 cars at the carpark, which used to be a gas station, said th e spokesman.

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

DANGER FROM EXPLOSION IN INDEPE NDENCE HAS PASSED
http://www.kansascity.com/2011/06/14/2950941/ danger-from-blast-has-passed.html
Tags: us_MO, public, explosion, response, fireworks

There is no further public threat following a deadly explosion Monday that rattle d an Independence neighborhood, authorities said Tuesday.

However, anyone who find s debris perhaps related to the blast should contact the Independence police , they said.

Also, authorities reminded residents not to make fireworks or try to al ter commercially made fireworks.

"The risk and devastating consequences are m uch too high to gamble one=E2=80=99s life with, or the live of a loved one,=E2 =80=9D said Tom Gentry, Independence police spokesman.

Authorities made no announ cement Tuesday as to what caused the late-afternoon explosion Monday in Inde pendence. Nor did they identify the individual who died in the blast, which a pparently occurred in a detached garage behind a home in the 3300 block of B lue Ridge Boulevard.

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

WELDING SUPPLY FIRE BLAM ED ON DAMAGED DRUMS
Tags: us_OR , industrial, explosion, response, calcium_carbide, follow-up
< br>
Albany fire investi gators say the failure of a seal inside one or more drums of calcium carbide probably caused the fire at Industrial Welding Supply on Sunday night.
Fire Marshal Mi ke Trabue issued a report on the fire late Tuesday.
He said fire department investigators, with the cooperation of the company, had completed an investigation of the explo sion and fire at the business, 3415 Pacific Blvd. S.W.
Responding to the alarm, firefireg hters found a tarp-covered storage pile of flammable gas-producing calcium c arbide in an outside storage yard on fire.
Investigators determined that one or more drums w ere most likely damaged during shipping, causing the seal for one or more dr um lids to fail.

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

GAS EXPLOSION DESTROYS S TORAGE FACILITY, SENDS ONE TO THE HOSPITAL
Tags: us_CO, public, explosion, inju ry, natural_gas

 natural gas explosion and fire destroyed a building and sent one man to the hospital. The explosion took place at Anthony's Lake Avenue S torage at 2220 S. Lake Avenue in Pueblo.

Woody Percival with the Pueblo Fire D epartment tells 11 News that around 12:30 p.m. a Double J construc tion crew was working on the sewer system on the corner of Lake Avenue and H ighland Avenue, right in front of the storage facility. A track hoe hit the n atural gas line, bending the pipe. The gas company, Xcel Energy was notified of the bent pipe and responded to the scene. They were trying to shut off t he gas to local businesses when the storage unit went up in flames. They wer e unaware there was a gas leak until the explosion occurred.

One man was injured in t he explosion. He suffered severe burn injuries. The victim's son says the fa ther is in stable condition and was airlifted to a burn unit in Denver.

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

WWII GIRL SCOUT KIT BRINGS HAZMAT TEAM TO TUD OR PLACE
http://www.thegeorgetowndis h.com/thedish/wwii-girl-scout-kit-brings-hazmat-team-tudor-place
Tags: us_DC, public , discovery, response, picric_acid

Streets surrounding Tudor Place Historic House a nd Gardens (31st between Q and R) were closed Monday afternoon to i nvestigate a HazMat situation, Mandy Katz, Tudor Place communications office r told The Georgetown Dish.

Tudor Place executive director Leslie Buhler released t his note to trustees at 5:55 pm. "During the textile inventory project a early 20th c. girl scout medical box was found. It contained picric acid ga uze pads which are highly explosive. After several calls to D.C. government o ffices, we finally were told to call the police. That resulted in a response by more police, fire, and the bomb/hazardous waste specialists.

All staff and visi tors were evacuated from the property and careful instructions were given to the HZMAT team. After 3 hours, they went into the house and removed the pad s from the box. They took them out to the driveway area in a protected posit ion and exploded them. All is safe with no injuries or damage."

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

NEWS, WEATHER AND SPORTS FOR CHATTANOOGA AND THE TENNE SSEE VALLEY
http://www.wdef.com/news /more_information_released_on_fire_at_arch_chemical_company/06/2011< /font>
Tags: us_TN, indu strial, fire, injury, unknown_chemical

Ambulances transported several people Monday from a fire at Arch Chemical Company in Bradley county.

The facility is right nex t door to the Olin, on Lower River Road in Charleston Tennessee.

The fire broke out just after 4:00pm Monday afternoon.

Officials with Arch Chemical tell u s the fire started in the re-work section of the water sanitation plant.

A containe r of dry water sanitizer powder caught fire.

Five patients were transported by amb ulance from the scene.

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

FARM CHEMICAL LEAK UNDER CONTROL
http://www.wishtv.com/dpp/news/local/north_ central/farm-chemical-leak-under-control
Tags: us_IN, industrial, release, response, ammonia

Farm chemical leak under control

FRANKTON, Ind. (WISH) - Emergency officials b rought a farm chemical leak near Frankton under control within about a half h our without major trouble Monday evening.

The Frankton Fire Department reque sted backup from Madison County EMA and three township departments after res ponding to a large anhydrous ammonia link at about 8 p.m. Monday n ear Ind. 128 and Madison County Road 200 West .

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

HAZMAT, BOMB SQUAD CALLED FOR BOY SCOUT FIRST AID KIT< /div>
Tags: us_CO, public, discovery, response, picric_acid

COLORADO SPRI NGS, Colo. -- The Colorado Springs Police Department's Hazardous Materials T eam and Regional Explosives Unit was called out to a fire station Sunday bec ause of concerns about the safety of a an antique Boy Scout first aid kit.
The owner of the k it was concerned that kit may contain a small amount of picric acid and brou ght the kit to Fire Station 5 in Colorado Springs for disposal.
The hazmat and exp losives team remotely removed the hazard to a safe location and destroyed it , officials said.
Same Chemical Causes Other Evacuations

Picric acid was found in an antique Boy Sco ut first aid kit at the Pioneers Museum in Colorado Springs earlier this mon th. The museum was evacuated while the bomb squad and firefighters removed t he material.
The same chemical was found in a historic doctor's bag last month in a warehous e in the Lowry area of Denver belonging to the Colorado Historical Society, s aid society spokeswoman Rebecca Laurie.
It too was picric acid, so the Denver bomb squad and a fire hazmat teams were called in to remove the acid.
"Sometimes, our researchers do come ac ross chemicals in these kinds of medical hits or chemistry kits, things that were donated a long time ago," said Laurie. "If they're not sure what it is , they're trained to call 911."
Picric acid was stocked in pharmacies in the early 1920s as a n antiseptic and as a treatment for burns, malaria, herpes and smallpox.
Other Items Dropped Off At Fire Stations

On Saturday, a 25 mm military training practice round was dro pped off at another fire station in Colorado Springs for disposal.
Officials said if you fin d any possibly dangerous material such as an antique first aid kit, military ordnance or any other explosive material, call 911 and don't touch it. They said you should not bring the item into a police or fire station. Emergency personnel will respond to your location and safely dispose of the item.

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

CHEMICAL FIRE IN ALBANY PROMPTS EVACUATION; N O INJURIES REPORTED
Tags: us_OR, indus trial, explosion, response, calcium_carbide

A chemical fire Sunday night at Industrial Welding and Supply in Albany prompted the closure of Pacific Boulevard and the evacuation of about 250 nearby residents, but firefighter s got the blaze under control and no injuries were reported.
The Albany Fire Department resp onded to Industrial Welding and Supply, 3415 Pacific Blvd S.W. at a bout 10:24 p.m. Sunday to an explosion and flames reported by a 91 1 call.
Firefighte rs arrived within approximately four minutes and observed several small expl osions and fire involving approximately 360 square feet of piled storage of u nknown materials located outside the building.
Firefighters initially applied water to extin guish the fire; however, these efforts and a passing rain shower intensified the burning. Firefighters immediately ceased fire suppression efforts and b acked away to a safe distance from the burning materials.
A representative from Industrial W elding and Supply responded to the scene and identified the burning material as 4,000 to 5,000 pounds of calcium carbide in 200 pound drums.
Calcium carbide is a grayish- black irregular lump solid material used to manufacture flammable acetylene g as. The acetylene gas, and a significant amount of heat, is created when the chemical comes in contact with moisture.

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