Date: Wed, 3 Nov 2010 07:54:37 -0400
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From: Ralph Stuart <secretary**At_Symbol_Here**DCHAS.ORG>
Subject: Chemical Safety headlines from Google

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CHEMICAL FIRE CLOSES NEW BEDFORD SCHOOL - BOSTONHERALD.COM, http://news.bostonherald.com/news/regional /view/20101102chemical_fire_closes_new_bedford_school/

NEW BEDFORD =97 Keith Middle School is closed today after a smoky fire broke out Monday night in a first-floor science prep room, where hazmat crews earlier in the day had cleaned out an acid wash tank which had filled with chemicals several weeks ago.

"It appears that there (were) some chemicals involved in the fire," Fire Chief Brian Faria said. "Smoke was going on three floors of the building."

At press time, the chemicals had not been identified.

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CONTROLLED CHEMICAL PLANT FIRE CAUSES CONFUSION - ABC NEWS (AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION), http:// www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/11/02/3054862.htm

A controlled burn-off at a chemical plant in eastern Sydney is causing panic, with emergency services receiving more than 50 calls from alarmed residents.

The flame from the Qenos plant at Port Botany can be seen across the city and a number of people have reported fires in different locations.

The New South Fire Brigade has sent out 14 fire trucks to seven separate locations based on information given by callers.

But the Fire Brigade says the large flame is causing an optical illusion and people should not be alarmed.

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AUSTRALIA UNDER FIRE OVER TOXIC WASTE SHIPMENT - ABC SYDNEY - AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/11/03/3055517.htm?site=sy dney

Preparations are underway to send the first of four shipments of hazardous chemical waste from Sydney to Denmark this month.
A deal between Australia and the Danish government means the 3,000-tonne shipment of waste will be disposed of at an incineration site in the south of Denmark.
In total, 16,000 tonnes of high-risk waste, or hexachlorobenzene, will be shipped from the Orica site at Botany in Sydney.
The waste was created by the production of plastics and solvents.
It is the chemical material dug up from the old Orica site and the contaminated packaging and protective gear that must be destroyed safely.

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BARC FIRE: NO CHEMICAL STORAGE IN LAB, INTERN INTAKE TO BE CUT, http://www.indianexpress.com/news/ BARC-fire--no--chemical-storage-in-lab--intern-intake-to-be-cut/705947

Ten months after two research scientists were killed in an accidental fire caused due to reaction of chemicals in a laboratory at Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) in Trombay, the BARC officials have decided to stop storage of chemicals in the lab and to reduce the intake of interns as they are =93more prone to accidents=94.

The move comes after a committee, appointed by the BARC to probe the cause of the fire, made recommendations in this regard in its report, submitted last month.

Acting on the recommendations, the BARC officials have stopped chemicals=92 storage in the lab and started the process of scientifically disposing of all the old chemicals stored in the lab. Moreover, the BARC has also reduced the intake of interns on its campus, because, according to officials, they are amateur and are more prone to accidents.

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GAS LEAK EVACUATES VVC WELDING CLASS | LEAK, VICTORVILLE, VVC - LOCAL NEWS - VICTORVILLE DAILY PRESS, http://www.vvdailypress.com/news/leak-22730-victorville-vvc.html

VICTORVILLE =95 Authorities evacuated some areas of Victor Valley College Monday morning after leaking gas from the welding class was discovered, San Bernardino County Fire officials said.

Several engines and a hazardous materials unit were called out at about 10:30 a.m., Capt. Tracy Carlton said.

The fire department stood by as the leaking acetylene cylinder was allowed to vent off, Carlton said. Depending on what a chemical may be, the best procedure may be to allow the chemical to vent safely into the atmosphere while monitoring it and keeping everyone else away from the location.

No one was hurt in the incident and the normal class schedule resumed after about two hours, officials said.

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HCC CHEMICAL SCARE UNDER CONTROL | WWLP.COM, http://www.wwlp.com/dpp/news/local/hampden/HCC-chemical-leak-und er-control

HOLYOKE, Mass. (WWLP) - An afternoon chemical incident at Holyoke Community College is now under control.

Holyoke Fire Department Spokesman Lt. Tom Paquin told 22News there was an open container of the chemical formamide .

According to Lt. Paquin, the chemical's odor made a couple of people feel sick. Lt. Paquin told 22News that a building was evacuated and fans were brought in to air the building out. Lt. Paquin says no one was hurt.

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CAMBRIDGE NEWS | LATEST NEWS FROM IN &AMP; AROUND CAMBRIDGE CITY | LATEST SPORTS, JOBS &AMP; BUSINESS NEWS IN CAMBRIDGE NEWSPAPER | THREE HURT IN LABORATORY EXPLOSION, http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/Home/Three-hurt-in-laboratory-e xplosion.htm

An investigation has been launched after three men were taken to hospital following an explosion in a chemical laboratory in Royston.
The victims were working at international technology company Johnson Matthey PLC when a glass vessel shattered during testing at the catalyst, chemical and refining department just after 11am yesterday.
They were taken to Addenbrooke=92s Hospital in Cambridge with injuries caused by the flying glass. 

 

Ambulance crews from Letchworth and Royston attended the scene along with three fire engines from Royston and Baldock and a team from Hertfordshire Police.

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HAZMAT CREWS CALLED TO KEITH JUNIOR HIGH | TURN TO 10, http://www2.turnto10.com/news/2010/nov/01/6/ hazmat-crews-called-keith-middle-school-ar-278011/

The Keith Junior High School in New Bedford will be closed Tuesday, after a hazardous material situation at the building on Monday night.

Hazardous materials crews, firefighters and police reported to a smoky fire at the school shortly after 7 p.m.

Fire officials said a small fire broke out in a closet located in a science classroom in the school.  There were no students in the building at the time of the fire, and it was quickly extiguished.

Officials said heavy smoke spread throughout the school and some firefighters were exposed to a chemical-like smell. Hazardous Materials crews entered the school shortly after 11 p.m. to remove the unknown chemicals.

Mayor Scott Lang tells NBC 10 while school was not in session Monday, crews were inside cleaning tanks in a classroom with acid wash.  The smoky fire may be a direct result of a chemical reaction from the cleaning that took place earlier in the day.

Investigators are looking into whether an environmental cleaning company washing out some tanks where chemicals were dumped after experiments might have accidentally caused the situation.

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FIREFIGHTERS, HAZ-MAT TEAM PUT OUT HAMPTON FIRE | 13NEWS / WVEC.COM | HAMPTON ROADS LOCAL NEWS, VIRGINIA NEWS &AMP; BREAKING NEWS | WVEC.COM | NEWS FOR HAMPTON ROADS, VIRGINIA, http://www.wvec.com/news/local/Firefighters-Ha z-Mat-team-put-out-Hampton-Fire-106492279.html

HAMPTON-- Firefighters put out a fire at a business in Hampton Monday night.
The fire broke out around 7:30pm at Teledyne Hastings Technologies in the 800 block of Newcombe Avenue.
Hazmat crews were also there because of an unusual glow and sound during the fire. According to the company's website,  Teledyne Technologies manufactures vacuum and gas mass flow Instruments.

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POOL CHEMICAL MIXING EVACUATES FORDSON FOR MOST OF WEDNESDAY - NEWS - PRESS AND GUIDE, http://www.pressandguide.com/articles/2010/11/01/news/d oc4ccd8a9433da5804508868.txt

DEARBORN --Fordson High School was evacuated for the school day on Wednesday after a chemical reaction near the pool caused a foul smell throughout the building.

The building was to reopen at 2 p.m. Wednesday for after school activities and parent-teacher conferences, said David Mustonen, Dearborn Public Schools communications coordinator.

About 7:45 Wednesday morning, shortly after classes began, students and staff noticed a foul smell throughout the building, Mustonen said. The building was evacuated as a precaution, and the fire department was called to investigate.

The problem was traced to the pool area where too much chlorine had been added to the muriatic acid also used in the pool=92s filtering system.

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HOMES BRIEFLY EVACUATED AFTER REPORTS OF CHEMICAL ODOR; NO THREAT FOUND - AROUND THE VALLEY - MODBEE.COM, http://www.modbee.com/2010/11/01/1407952/homes-briefly-evacuate d-after.html

Seven homes on Canyon Rim Drive, off American River Canyon Drive, were evacuated for a little over an hour Sunday night after residents complained of a strong chemical odor.
Regional fire dispatch got a call at 7:34 p.m. from a resident of the 100 block of Canyon Rim Drive complaining of a strong odor.
The Folsom Fire Department responded and their sensors detected a hazardous substance, according to officials. When three firefighters reported feeling lightheaded, fire officials called out three ambulances, a truck company and three fire engines.
"This was an unusual response primarily because of the way our crews were impacted," said Dennis Wycoff, a battalion chief with the Folsom Fire Department.

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FIRE HITS TUAS CHEMICAL FACTORY, http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIS tory_598225.html

A FIRE broke out at about 10.40am at a chemical company in Gul Lane in Tuas on Monday.

Thick, black smoke could be seen billowing from the building of Isochem International, which makes aerosols and industrial cleaners.

A man was taken to hospital for a 'burning sensation' on both arms, said the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF).

SCDF officers took 45 minutes to bring the fire under control and conducted a search to make sure that no one was trapped in the building.


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