From: DCHAS Membership Chair <membership**At_Symbol_Here**DCHAS.ORG>
Subject: [DCHAS-L] Chemical Safety headlines (12 articles)
Date: Mon, 22 Jul 2019 07:50:27 -0400
Reply-To: ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**PRINCETON.EDU>
Message-ID: 730BEF90-0F06-4B29-9B36-FB7223B4CA7C**At_Symbol_Here**dchas.org


Chemical Safety Headlines From Google
Monday, July 22, 2019 at 7:50:07 AM

A service of the ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety
Connecting Chemistry and Safety at http://www.dchas.org
All article summaries and tags are archived at http://pinboard.in/u:dchas

Table of Contents (12 articles)

FIREFIGHTERS RESPOND TO EXPLOSION AT SAN JOSE POOL
Tags: us_CA, public, explosion, response, natural_gas

OXYGEN REGULATOR CAUSED NORWALK HOSPITAL EXPLOSION: POLICE
Tags: us_CT, industrial, explosion, injury, oxygen, gas_cylinder

HAZMAT CREWS REMOVE FIVE ABANDONED CONTAINERS OF CANNABIS WASTE, ETHANOL ‰?? SFBAY
Tags: us_CA, public, discovery, response, ethanol, clandestine_lab

POSSIBLE SMALL EXPLOSION IN MARTINEZ SUBDIVISION
Tags: us_GA, public, discovery, response, bomb

CHEMICAL FIRE AT NEW JERSEY INDUSTRIES 2 INJURED
Tags: us_NJ, industrial, fire, injury, chlorine

HAZMAT CALL HOSPITALIZES 11 BOSTON FIREFIGHTERS
Tags: us_MA, public, release, injury, cleaners

CHINA GAS FACTORY BLAST KILLS AT LEAST 12
Tags: China, industrial, explosion, death, unknown_chemical

N.J. CHEMICAL PLANT WHERE FIRE BROKE OUT CITED FOR 5 SAFETY VIOLATIONS IN 6 YEARS, OSHA SAYS
Tags: us_NJ, industrial, follow-up, environmental

JANITOR MIXING CHEMICALS CREATES 'CHEMICAL CLOUD,' CAUSING ROCK COUNTY COURTHOUSE TO EVACUATE, CLOSE
Tags: us_WI, public, release, response, water_treatment

2 FIREFIGHTERS SUFFER MINOR BURNS AFTER CHEMICAL FOUND IN PARK RIDGE FIRE
Tags: us_IL, public, fire, response, other_chemical

EXTREME WEATHER CAUSES ODOR AT PES REFINERY
Tags: us_PA, industrial, release, response, petroleum

4K GALLONS OF GAS SPILLED WHEN TANKER ROLLS OVER ON CAPE COD
Tags: us_MA, transportation, release, response, gasoline


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

FIREFIGHTERS RESPOND TO EXPLOSION AT SAN JOSE POOL
https://www.mercurynews.com/2019/07/21/firefighters-respond-to-explosion-at-san-jose-pool/
Tags: us_CA, public, explosion, response, natural_gas

SAN JOSE ‰?? Firefighters are on the scene of a gas leak and explosion that prompted an evacuation at a San Jose pool.

The San Jose Fire Department received a call at 10:49 a.m. from a residential complex at the corner of Townsend Park Circle and Araujo Street, Captain Mitch Matlow said. Witnesses reported hearing multiple small explosions and smelling gas in the pool facility at the center of the complex.

Ten San Jose Police officers and 46 firefighters responded to the scene, including the fire department‰??s hazardous materials team.

When firefighters arrived, they evacuated the pool, turned off the gas and power, and shut down traffic on Townsend Park Circle. They found a problem with the water heater had caused the issue.

After making sure the pool chemical containers were still intact and verifying there were not unsafe levels of chemicals in the air, firefighters lifted the evacuation. No injuries were reported. Other than the heater, there were no damages reported to the pool or surrounding structures.

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

OXYGEN REGULATOR CAUSED NORWALK HOSPITAL EXPLOSION: POLICE
https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/local/Explosion-in-Norwalk-Hospital-Emergency-Room-513016901.html
Tags: us_CT, industrial, explosion, injury, oxygen, gas_cylinder

Police now say an oxygen regulator caused the explosion in the Norwalk Hospital emergency room Sunday night.

The oxygen regulator was being transported on a gurney, according to police.

The gurney was transporting a patient into the emergency room with two attendants at the time of the explosion, police said.

There are burn marks on the wall and ceiling as a result of the explosion.

Firefighters found a moderate dust condition from a dry-chemical extinguisher, but no smoke or fire.

Police said an EMT attendant from out of town was treated and released while another EMT attendant and the patient were uninjured.

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

HAZMAT CREWS REMOVE FIVE ABANDONED CONTAINERS OF CANNABIS WASTE, ETHANOL ‰?? SFBAY
https://sfbay.ca/2019/07/20/hazmat-crews-remove-five-abandoned-containers-of-cannabis-waste-ethanol/
Tags: us_CA, public, discovery, response, ethanol, clandestine_lab

Emergency crews in Sonoma County responded Thursday to help identify and remove five 55-gallon containers filled with used cannabis oil by-product and ethanol.

On Thursday at 5 p.m., the Sonoma County Fire Prevention and Hazardous Materials Emergency Division responded to Roblar and Valley Ford roads on a report of containers left on the side of the road. Investigators determined the containers held used cannabis oil by-product and ethanol from the cannabis extraction process. Several agencies responded to help secure, label and transport the containers to an approved accepting facility.

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

POSSIBLE SMALL EXPLOSION IN MARTINEZ SUBDIVISION
https://www.wjbf.com/csra-news/small-explosion-in-martinez-subdivision/
Tags: us_GA, public, discovery, response, bomb

UPDATE: The Columbia County Sheriff‰??s Office Facebook page reports the homeowner purchased an old tool box at a yard sale. The toolbox had a non-explosive gas grenade inside.

Officers responded to the scene accordingly. The roadway is safe and back open.

AUGUSTA, GA (WJBF) ‰?? There was a small explosion in the Moss Creek subdivision Saturday.

According to the neighborhood Facebook, the explosion occurred at the 100 block of Moss Creek.

Hazmat professionals and the fire department are on the scene for cleanup.

Everyone is reported as safe. Please be patient as officials work to clear up the scene.

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

CHEMICAL FIRE AT NEW JERSEY INDUSTRIES 2 INJURED
https://chemicalsmarketnews.com/chemical-fire-at-new-jersey-industries-2-injured/07/21/387/
Tags: us_NJ, industrial, fire, injury, chlorine

he event occurred at the Diamond Chemical Company, a manufacturer of industrial cleaning products, prompting a response from fire, police and hazmat officials. At least one of the chemical compounds involved in the fire was chlorine, authorities said.

East Rutherford Fireplace Chief David Alberta said that two fires had damaged out in the facility, one caused by a chemical reaction and another caused by an overheated machine.

Alberta stated, ‰??Everybody cleared out of the building, the machines were left on,‰?? ‰??We were trying to shut down the power as soon as doable, and sadly one other problem came about.‰??

Tom Longo, the officer of environmental health for Bergen County, said that the chemicals used in the building were water-reactive.‰?? When they‰??re exposed to water they will create heat, that heat left unchecked precipitated the fibreboard containers to catch fire,‰?? he said.

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

HAZMAT CALL HOSPITALIZES 11 BOSTON FIREFIGHTERS
https://www.firehouse.com/rescue/hazardous-materials/news/21089291/hazmat-call-hospitalizes-11-boston-firefighters
Tags: us_MA, public, release, injury, cleaners

Eleven firefighters and one resident were hospitalized after the Boston Fire Department responded to the South End for a level 3 hazmat Friday afternoon, reported NECN.

Noxious fumes reported at 1740 Washington St. were caused by a mixture of cleaning solutions, according to Boston Fire Department spokesman Brian Alkin.

The Boston Fire Department responded to a level 3 hazmat in the South End on July 19.

Occupants of the five-story rooming house were evacuated from the building around 12:15 p.m. Friday while officials used special monitoring devices to determine the cause of the odor.

Boston Fire, Police and EMS reported to the location. Alkin said Washington Street was temporarily closed.

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

CHINA GAS FACTORY BLAST KILLS AT LEAST 12
https://www.dw.com/en/china-gas-factory-blast-kills-at-least-12/a-49663404
Tags: China, industrial, explosion, death, unknown_chemical

An explosion at a gas plant in China's central Henan province has killed at least 12 people and seriously injured more than a dozen others, Chinese authorities said Saturday. Three people were still missing.

The blast rocked the factory in the city of Yima late Friday, damaging buildings and blowing out windows and doors within a 3-kilometer (2-mile) radius, state media reported.

Read more: Deadly chemical plant explosion hits Zhangjiakou

The official Xinhua news agency said the explosion occurred in the state-owned Henan Coal Gas facility's air separation unit.

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

N.J. CHEMICAL PLANT WHERE FIRE BROKE OUT CITED FOR 5 SAFETY VIOLATIONS IN 6 YEARS, OSHA SAYS
https://www.nj.com/bergen/2019/07/nj-chemical-plant-where-fire-broke-out-cited-for-5-safety-violations-in-6-years-osha-says.html
Tags: us_NJ, industrial, follow-up, environmental

he East Rutherford plant where a fire broke out Thursday was cited at least five times in the past six years for violations of the Occupational Safety and Health Act, according to government records obtained Friday by NJ Advance Media.

Diamond Chemical Company, which is located on Union Avenue and Dubois Street off Route 17, was most recently cited for safety violations on May 28. The soap-and-detergent manufacturer was also cited on Feb. 8, Oct. 5, 2018, Jan. 1, 2014 and on Feb. 15, 2013, according to OSHA records.

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

JANITOR MIXING CHEMICALS CREATES 'CHEMICAL CLOUD,' CAUSING ROCK COUNTY COURTHOUSE TO EVACUATE, CLOSE
https://www.channel3000.com/news/-chemical-cloud-evacuates-rock-county-courthouse-as-janitor-mixed-chemicals-officials-say/1097257465
Tags: us_WI, public, release, response, water_treatment

JANESVILLE, Wis. - A chemical cloud formed while a janitor was preparing water treatment products at the Rock County Courthouse on Friday morning, leading to an evacuation, officials said.

The Rock County Sheriff's Office held a news conference Friday morning, saying the chemical spill was caused by a facilities management worker who mixed chemicals to treat water for the courthouse air cooling system when a chemical cloud formed, which activated the alarm system. The courthouse was evacuated. The call reporting the incident came in at 8:30 a.m.

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

2 FIREFIGHTERS SUFFER MINOR BURNS AFTER CHEMICAL FOUND IN PARK RIDGE FIRE
https://www.journal-topics.com/articles/2-firefighters-suffer-minor-burns-after-chemical-found-in-park-ridge-fire/
Tags: us_IL, public, fire, response, other_chemical

The hazardous material that left two firefighters with minor burns after they responded to Wednesday‰??s vacant gas station fire in Park Ridge, turned out to be calcium peroxide.

Fire Chief Jeff Sorensen called the fire itself ‰??very stubborn.‰?? Windy conditions made for a smoky scene in the area of Northwest Highway and Oakton Street after 5 p.m.

After an hour of fighting the flames, the incident at 969 N. Northwest Hwy. also turned into a hazardous materials response. Sorensen said the 90,000 lbs. of calcium peroxide had been stored in the building for remediation work on the property.

‰??The chemical itself reacts with water to some degree, and it took about an hour to extinguish the fire,‰?? the chief said in an email to the Journal.

However, Sorensen said this left crews with a hazardous materials scene plus ‰??significant runoff from the chemical combined with approximately 250,000 gallons of water.‰??

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

EXTREME WEATHER CAUSES ODOR AT PES REFINERY
https://whyy.org/articles/extreme-weather-causes-fumes-to-escape-fire-stricken-pes-refinery/
Tags: us_PA, industrial, release, response, petroleum

Heavy rains and high temperatures shifted the lid of a 6 million gallon tank containing gasoline components at the Philadelphia Energy Solutions oil refinery, according to a spokesperson for the company. The incident caused fumes to escape, prompting complaints from nearby South Philadelphia neighbors.

The refinery is in the process of winding down operations after a fiery explosion tore through the facility last month. The financially troubled company announced it would close the facility within days of the blaze. Crude oil refining operations are expected to halt next week, according to Reuters.

Philadelphia‰??s Office of Emergency Management sent an alert message through ReadyPhiladelphia to residents Wednesday afternoon telling them not to be alarmed by the fumes, and that odors may continue to be released as the shutdown continues.

But PES spokeswoman Cherice Corley said neighbors should not anticipate continued odors as a result of the closure.

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

4K GALLONS OF GAS SPILLED WHEN TANKER ROLLS OVER ON CAPE COD
https://www.nbcboston.com/news/local/4K-Gallons-of-Gas-When-Tanker-Rolls-Over-512920581.html
Tags: us_MA, transportation, release, response, gasoline

A gasoline tanker rolled over Thursday morning, dumping thousands of gallons of gas into the streets of Harwich.

The tanker rolled over outside of Shaw's Supermarket on Sisson Road just before 4 a.m. Thursday, closing Sisson Road from Route 28 to Gilbert Lane until 8 p.m.

When officials arrived at the scene early Thursday, they called for additional resources, including a Hazmat Team. More than 90 responders from over 20 different local, county, state and federal agencies arrived to help.

The truck was carrying about 11,500 gallons of gasoline. Officials estimate they cleaned up 8,000 gallons of gas from the truck and another 2,000 from catch basins and the tidal marsh the storm drains in the streets emptied into.

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

---
For more information about the DCHAS-L e-mail list, contact the Divisional membership chair at membership**At_Symbol_Here**dchas.org
Follow us on Twitter **At_Symbol_Here**acsdchas

Previous post   |  Top of Page   |   Next post



The content of this page reflects the personal opinion(s) of the author(s) only, not the American Chemical Society, ILPI, Safety Emporium, or any other party. Use of any information on this page is at the reader's own risk. Unauthorized reproduction of these materials is prohibited. Send questions/comments about the archive to secretary@dchas.org.
The maintenance and hosting of the DCHAS-L archive is provided through the generous support of Safety Emporium.