Date: Sat, 26 Feb 2011 11:29:11 -0500
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Subject: Chemical Safety headlines from Google

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CHEMICAL REACTION AT HOUSE FIRE SURPRISES CREWS - PORTLAND NEWS STORY - KPTV PORTLAND, http://www.kptv.com /news/26995088/detail.html

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Investigators are trying to figure out what caused a house fire and a chemical reaction at a home in Northeast Portland.
The fire broke out at a home on NE Sumner Street around 7:15 p.m. on Thursday.
Upon arrival, firefighters saw heavy flames coming from the front of the house. But when the crew sprayed water on the fire, a chemical reaction occurred and produced what looked like electrical arcing.
"Firefighters had to think on their feet to move past this reaction and stop the fire before it spread to the attic," said Portland Fire Capt. Jamie Klum.
Firefighters were able to extinguish the fire in about 20 minutes. Commanders called in extra resources to rotate crews in the freezing temperatures and make sure that firefighters could stay safe and warm.
Damage from the fire is estimated at $20,000. No one was hurt, and the occupant of the home is staying with family members.
"Most house fires are like a big chemistry experiment," said Portland fire official Paul Corah. "There are chemicals in the average household that would surprise people and can impact how a fire behaves."

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FIRE BREAKS OUT AT UNISEAL =BB EVANSVILLE COURIER &AMP; PRESS, http://www.courierpress.com/news/2011/feb/24/fire-breaks-out-at-un iseal/

A chemical fire at West Side factory Uniseal caused a lot of smoke but no injuries on Thursday afternoon.

The fire was reported about 2:30 p.m. at Uniseal Inc, 1800 W. Maryland St.

"Wrong chemicals were put into the mixture (unit) and that's what caused the fire," said Greg Main, the chief of operations of the Evansville Fire Department.


KYLE GRANTHAM / Courier &amp; Press Evansville firefighters examine the roof of the Uniseal building at 1800 W. Maryland St. where a fire sparked Thursday afternoon.
About 25 firefighters contained the blaze primarily to the first floor of the building where the fire originated, but Main said the fire spread to the vent system on the second floor.

"All employees were accounted for and there was no damage to the second floor at all from the fire," he said.

Main said the Fire Department must run carbon monoxide tests before the plant can reopen. He said he did not know how many employees were inside the building at the time of the fire.

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COMPANY SUES B.C. CITY AFTER CHEMICAL SPILL - BRITISH COLUMBIA - CBC NEWS, http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-colu mbia/story/2011/02/25/bc-kelowna-chemical-lawsuit.html

A chemical company is suing the City of Kelowna and its fire department for negligence after toxic chemicals were washed into a local creek following a warehouse fire last summer.

Pesticides, fertilizers and glycol were washed into a storm drain while firefighters were dousing the flames at the Univar Canada depot, one of several businesses destroyed by a fire on Kirschner Road in July.

Univar Canada, Kelowna
The runoff turned the water in nearby Mill Creek bright green and killed dozens of small fish before working its way into Okanagan Lake.

In recently filed court documents, Univar Canada =97 a wholesale agricultural fertilizer and pesticide supplier =97 alleges fire crews didn't do enough to keep the chemicals from contaminating nearby soil and water, and ignored warnings from the company's staff about the risks.

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FUMES BLAMED IN FLASH FIRE AT MIAMI HOUSE =BB CRIME &AMP; COURTS =BB THE JOPLIN GLOBE, JOPLIN, MO, http://www.joplinglobe.com/crime_and_court s/x962031238/Fumes-blamed-in-flash-fire-at-Miami-house

MIAMI, Okla. =97 Firefighters believe that chemical fumes created during remodeling of a Miami home may have caused a flash fire early Wednesday that damaged a portion of the unoccupied house.

The Miami Fire Department responded at 12:39 a.m. to 1910 G St. N.W. and found a smoldering fire in a bathroom at the back of the single-story structure.

Fire Capt. Robert Wright said no one was home at the time, and no injuries were reported. Wright said the fire had extended slightly into the attic before firefighters arrived.

The owner of the residence, Butch Crockett, told firefighters that he had been using a chemical to remove caulking and glue in the bathroom as part of remodeling the house and was using some candles to help mask the chemical smell.

Wright said it appeared that fumes had caused a flash fire that turned into a smoldering blaze because of a lack of oxygen in the room.

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EMERGENCY CREWS CALLED TO LA VERGNE CHEMICAL SPILL - NASHVILLE NEWS STORY - WSMV NASHVILLE, http://www.wsmv.com /news/26998354/detail.html

Hazmat crews in Rutherford County were at the scene of a chemical spill Friday at the site of a closed business. Authorities are now looking into whether someone was using the site as a dumping ground for chemicals.
Images: Chemical Spill Investigated At Closed Business | Video: Hazmat Crews Called To La Vergne Chemical Spill
On Friday morning, a La Vergne police officer saw a person -- who said he's the brother of the owner -- loading 55-gallon barrels into the back of a pickup truck at 162 Jefferson Pike, the former location of Pipe Dreams Inc. Police were in the area because of some recent thefts.
The officer noticed a strong smell and called the city's fire department.
Hazmat crews were immediately sent out to the area, where they discovered the chemicals, possibly including acetone, were flammable and were poured onto the ground behind the business and extended about 40 yards to the side of the railroad tracks. CSX Railroad has been notified of the spill.
"We came out and was able to define a specific area that may be contaminated by an unknown product," said Tim Hooker of the Rutherford County Emergency Management Agency. "Some may be acetone, which is indicated on the 55-gallon drums."

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BCLOCALNEWS.COM - HAZERDOUS MATERIALS INCIDENT AT ALBERNI DISTRICT SECONDARY SCHOOL, http://www.bclocal news.com/news/116921118.html

A hazardous materials incident at Alberni District Secondary School required the assistance of the Port Alberni fire department.

Fire personnel responded to the high school at 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 24.

Upon arrival firemen found that a small amount of mercury had spilled in a second floor science lab.

=93Some students were using an instrument when a small amount of mercury released from it,=94 , assistant fire chief Chris Jancowski said.

School staff quickly evacuated students from the room then sealed it off and ventilated it.

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FACTORY WORKERS EVACUATED AFTER SULPHURIC ACID SPILLAGE - THE IRISH TIMES - SAT, FEB 26, 2011, http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2011/0226/122429092798 0.html

WORKERS HAD to be evacuated from a factory in Co Clare early yesterday after 250 litres of sulphuric acid were accidentally spilled inside the plant.

The alarm was raised at about 6.30am when staff reported the spill in a storage area at the rear of an Essilor Ireland plant on the outskirts of Ennis.

The company, known as Organic Lens Manufacturing, produces ophthalmic corrective lenses and is located in the Gort Road industrial estate where it employs more than 300 workers.

About 50 staff were working at the time and they were quickly evacuated to emergency meeting points outside the plant where management carried out a roll call to ensure that everyone was accounted for. The company=92s emergency response team was deployed pending arrival of the emergency services.

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13 TREATED AFTER PINETOWN FIRE - NEWSWATCH - EAST COAST RADIO, http://www.ecr.co.za/kagiso/content/en/ea st-coast-radio/east-coast-radio-news?oid=1091763&amp;sn=Detail& ;amp;pid=490476&amp;13-treated-after-Pinetown-fire
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13 people have suffered smoke inhalation after a fire broke out at a chemical factory in the Westmead area of Pinetown.


It's thought the fire started at the factory on the corner of Alexander and Clarke Roads just before 9am today. 

While the cause of the blaze is unknown, firefighters have managed to extinguish the flames and are still on scene dampening down the building. 

"When we arrived on scene, all workers from the factory already had been evacuated. We set up a triage area to examine all the workers," said ER24's Derrick Banks.

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EMERGENCY IN CHEMICAL VALLEY | LONDON | NEWS | LONDON FREE PRESS, http: //www.lfpress.com/news/london/2011/02/24/17391606.html

One person is in hospital and four other workers at Imperial are being treated on site for chemical burns after a hazardous materials leak at the refinery.

Sarnia deputy fire chief Joe Bondy said a power outage caused the leak. Five workers were exposed to an unknown chemical compound. Their condition is not known at this time.

The all clear was issued at 11:15 a.m.

"Four are being look at in the plant, because they have the facilities there," he said. "I know one is being taken by ambulance to the hospital. Depending on the severity of the people (at the plant) they may or may not be transported."

Imperial Oil spokesperson Jon Harding said the incident occurred at 9:58 a.m. Excess flaring and odours may be noticeable, he said.

Bondy said workers took immediate steps to fix the leak and it's believed that it has been contained. The fire service is currently conducting air monitoring onsite.

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CHEMICAL EXPLOSION IS INVESTIGATED IN CASEYVILLE, http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/illinois/a rticle_0847a952-3fb1-11e0-ade1-00127992bc8b.html

CASEYVILLE =95 Ink from a printer mixed with chlorine Wednesday afternoon at a nonhazardous waste company, causing a small chemical explosion and shutting down a street for several hours, French Village fire officials said Wednesday night.
Assistant Chief Brian Halwachs said no one was hurt in the explosion, which sent white smoke billowing from the top of Illini Environmental Inc. at 8895 California Drive, off Highway 157 near St. Clair Avenue. St. Clair County HAZMAT officials deemed the area safe from further chemical reaction and the road was reopened late Wednesday evening.
Halwachs said the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, which sent a mediation team into the building, has taken over the investigation into how the chemical reaction occurred.
A passer-by called 911 around 4:30 p.m. saying smoke was coming from the building. A second call, from Illini Evironmental officials, was for a chemical spill. French Village fire officials called for the St. Clair County HAZMAT team to investigate. Fairview fire Deputy Chief Bruce Green said the material safety data sheets on the container said they were nonhazardous.

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TWO SHELBY COUNTY METH LAB BUSTS REIGN IN FIVE SUSPECTS, http://www.m yfoxal.com/Global/story.asp?S=14134768

SHELBY COUNTY, AL (WBRC) - Five individuals have been charged in two separate Shelby County meth lab busts which occurred during a 24 hour time frame last week.

After responding to a chemical explosion at a Montevallo home Feb. 18, the Shelby County Sherriff's Office and fire department personnel continued to investigate the cause of the fire.

Officials entered the residence with protective equipment and identified chemicals inside the home as ones used to produce methamphetamine. Two of the people inside the home at the time of the explosion were taken to the hospital for injuries from the fire and another person fled the scene before deputies arrived.

"Using methamphetamine is dangerous.  Making methamphetamine is even more dangerous.  Put the two together and tragedy is close behind," said Lieutenant Chris George, commander of the drug task force.

As a result of that investigation, Tracey Edward Boothe, 41, of Montevallo, Jerime Wayne Dunnaway, 39 of Montevallo, and Tommy Rodger Carden, 45, of Alabaster were charged with unlawful manufacturing of a controlled substance of the first degree.  Boothe and Dunnaway are currently being held in the Shelby County jail with bonds of $500,000 each.

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GRENADE PROMPTS HAZMAT SITUATION ON FAR SOUTH SIDE - CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/3 986392-418/grenade-prompts-hazmat-situation-on-far-south-side.html

A grenade found at waste management facility on the Far South Side prompted a hazardous materials situation Thursday morning. Emergency personnel remained on the scene as of 7:20 a.m.

Emergency crews responded to 13707 S. Jeffery Blvd. for a Level I HazMat alarm called about 6 a.m., according to Fire Media Affairs spokesman Quention Curtis.

A recycling and waste management facility are located at that address, according to a web listing.

Technicians from the Police Bomb &amp; Arson Unit are on their way to the scene, according to a police sergeant, who said a smoke grenade was discovered at the waste management facility.

The explosive apparently was brought into the facility in one of their waste loads, the sergeant said.

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WESTERN PA. GAS WELL BLAST INJURES 3 WORKERS | THE ITHACA JOURNAL | THEITHACAJOURNAL.COM, http://www.theithacajournal.com/article/20110224/NEWS11/102240356/ Western-Pa-gas-well-blast-injures-3-workers?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRO NTPAGE

INDEPENDENCE, Pa. (AP) -- An explosion and fire at a gas well injured three workers Wednesday night, authorities said.

The blast, at the Chesapeake Appalachia LLC Powers site in Avella, was reported at about 6:20 p.m., Washington County emergency officials said.

Read more about natural gas drilling

Workers were transferring water used in a gas-extraction process called hydraulic fracturing, and several of the natural gas liquids storage tanks caught fire, said Katy Gresh, a spokeswoman for the Department of Environmental Protection's southwest region.

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TEXAS RESIDENT ARRESTED ON CHARGE OF ATTEMPTED USE OF WEAPON OF MASS DESTRUCTION, http: //www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2011/February/11-nsd-235.html

Texas Resident Arrested on Charge of Attempted Use of Weapon of Mass Destruction
Suspect Allegedly Purchased Bomb Materials and Researched U.S. Targets
WASHINGTON - Khalid Ali-M Aldawsari, 20, a citizen of Saudi Arabia and resident of Lubbock, Texas, was arrested late yesterday by FBI agents in Texas on a federal charge of attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction in connection with his alleged purchase of chemicals and equipment necessary to make an improvised explosive device (IED) and his research of potential U.S. targets.

 

The arrest and the criminal complaint, which was unsealed in the Northern District of Texas, were announced by David Kris, Assistant Attorney General for National Security; James T. Jacks, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas; and Robert E. Casey Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Dallas Field Division.

 

Aldawsari is expected to make his initial appearance in federal court in Lubbock at 9:00 a.m. on Friday morning.  Aldawsari, who was lawfully admitted into the United States in 2008 on a student visa and is enrolled at South Plains College near Lubbock, faces a maximum sentence of life in prison and a $250,000 fine if convicted of attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction.

 


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HAZMAT ON JOB AFTER SECOND SPILL | COFFS COAST NEWS | LOCAL NEWS IN COFFS COAST | COFFS COAST ADVOCATE, http://www.coffscoastadvocate.com.au /story/2011/02/24/hazmat-on-job-after-second-spill-coffs-chemical/

FOR the second time in three days a Hazmat crew has responded to a chemical spill on the Coffs Coast.

A Coffs Harbour fire crew and hazardous materials unit were called to the Country Energy Field Service Station on Thompsons Road yesterday to clean up a sulphur spill.

They responded at 1pm after two 24 kilogram bags of common sulphur were inadvertently punctured by a forklift.

Coffs Harbour Fire Station senior officer Mark Rose said no one was evacuated because the spill occurred in an isolated area, with no one but the forklift operator around.

=93The forklift worker was lightly contaminated but we decontaminated him and cordoned the area off and staff were instructed to stay clear until it was cleaned up,=94 Mr Rose said.

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CREWS CALLED TO HAZMAT SITUATION IN CASEYVILLE, IL | KMOV.COM | ST. LOUIS NEWS, MISSOURI NEWS &AMP; BREAKING NEWS | KMOV.COM | NEWS FOR ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, http://www.kmov.com/news/local/Hazmat-situation-in-St-Cla ir-County-116771829.html

(KMOV)-- Crews were called to the scene of a hazmat situation on California Drive at Highway 157 in St. Clair County.
Fairview Heights Fire Department confirmed the hazmat incident was at Illini Environmental Inc.
The company owner said employees were mixing 2 drums of chlorine bath tablets (toilet bowl cleaner) with latext paint to prepare them for shipment to a landfill when they gave off a lot of vapor. The white smoke/chemical cloud was so thick that it was first thought to be a fire.
An employee called police to report a chemical spill but a passerby called 911 and reported a fire.
The owner said the smoke shouldn't be hazardous but as a precaution the business was evacuated and residents in two nearby homes were told to shelter in place, stay in home with windows shut and ac/heat turned off.

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