From: DCHAS Membership Chair <membership**At_Symbol_Here**DCHAS.ORG>
Subject: [DCHAS-L] Chemical Safety headlines (10 articles)
Date: Wed, 20 May 2020 06:27:32 -0400
Reply-To: ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**PRINCETON.EDU>
Message-ID: C9F6AD13-2A25-4AFE-8BFC-B79768106AC2**At_Symbol_Here**dchas.org


Chemical Safety Headlines From Google
Wednesday, May 20, 2020 at 6:27:11 AM

A service of the ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety
Connecting Chemistry and Safety at http://www.dchas.org
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Table of Contents (10 articles)

DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT INVESTIGATES AFTER RAIL CAR LEAK CLOSES SAINT JOHN HIGHWAY
Tags: Canada, transportation, release, response, sulfuric_acid

1 DEAD, 2 HURT IN POWDER-FUELED FIRE AT CHEMICAL LAB
Tags: Republic_of_Korea, laboratory, explosion, death, dust

POTENTIAL EXPLOSION HAZARDS ASSOCIATED WITH THE AUTOCATALYTIC THERMAL DECOMPOSITION OF DIMETHYL SULFOXIDE AND ITS MIXTURES
Tags: laboratory, discovery, environmental, solvent

ROANOKE FIRE OFFICIALS ESTIMATE MORE THAN $275K IN DAMAGES FROM FRIDAY HAZMAT FIRE
Tags: us_VA, transportation, fire, response, hexane

EXPLOSION AT LINCOLN PARK METAL SCRAP YARD PROMPTS TEMPORARY CLOSURE
Tags: us_IL, industrial, explosion, response, metals, waste

JACKKNIFED BIG-RIG CRASH IN NEWHALL PASS RESULTS IN 40-GALLON FUEL SPILL ‰?? SANTA CLARITA VALLEY SIGNAL
Tags: us_CA, transportation, release, response, petroleum

PETROLEUM INCIDENT IN EUREKA
Tags: us_CA, public, release, response, diesel, petroleum

3 FAMILY MEMBERS HOSPITALIZED AFTER CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING AT MESA HOME
Tags: us_AZ, public, release, injury, carbon_monoxide

BLAST HITS CHEMICAL PLANT NEAR ITALIAN CITY OF VENICE
Tags: Italy, industrial, explosion, injury, unknown_chemical

INTERSTATE 90 CLOSED IN BOTH DIRECTIONS IN AVON DUE TO TANKER TRUCK CRASH
Tags: us_OH, transportation, release, response, ethanol


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DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT INVESTIGATES AFTER RAIL CAR LEAK CLOSES SAINT JOHN HIGHWAY
https://ca.news.yahoo.com/department-environment-investigates-rail-car-235132744.html
Tags: Canada, transportation, release, response, sulfuric_acid

The Department of Environment is investigating after a leaking rail car filled with spent sulphuric acid from the Irving Oil refinery forced emergency crews to block off a 150-metre area in east Saint John for several hours Monday, including part of Highway 1.

Crews were called to the CN rail yard near Marsh Street around 3:30 p.m. after New Brunswick Southern Railway personnel noticed the liquid spilling from the top of a tanker, said deputy fire chief Mike Carr.

Sulphuric acid is corrosive and toxic, and the spent product from the refining process "may have other chemicals in it," he said.

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1 DEAD, 2 HURT IN POWDER-FUELED FIRE AT CHEMICAL LAB
https://www.powderbulksolids.com/news/1-Dead-2-Hurt-in-Powder-Fueled-Fire-at-Chemical-Lab-05-19-2020
Tags: Republic_of_Korea, laboratory, explosion, death, dust

One person was killed and two others received injuries during a fire Tuesday at a LG Chem Ltd. catalyst research lab in Seosan, South Korea. Coverage by several local and international news organizations stated that a powder material was involved in the blaze.

The fire is thought to have started in the site‰??s packing room at about 2:20 p.m. when air contacted alkylaluminium, a pyrophoric fine powder material, in a catalyst, fire officials told The Korea Herald. Crews managed to put out the flames by 3:30 p.m.

LG Chem said in a Reuters article that spontaneous ignition of powder led to the fire. Another account by South Korean news agency Yonhap said the catalyst exploded due to high pressure as it was being transported.

Following the fire, the facility was shut down as the company conducts an investigation into the cause of the incident.

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POTENTIAL EXPLOSION HAZARDS ASSOCIATED WITH THE AUTOCATALYTIC THERMAL DECOMPOSITION OF DIMETHYL SULFOXIDE AND ITS MIXTURES
https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.oprd.0c00159
Tags: laboratory, discovery, environmental, solvent

Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) is widely used as a solvent for chemical reactions, as a cosolvent for crop protection formulations, and in medicines for topical administration of drugs. The potential explosion hazards associated with thermal decomposition of DMSO have been well-documented, with early reports dating back to the late 1950s. However, these explosion hazards are still underappreciated and inadequately communicated, as indicated by the fact that numerous severe accidents have occurred on both laboratory and industrial scales over the years. Differential scanning calorimetry studies show that decomposition of pure DMSO is detected at ca. 278 å¡C, while accelerating rate calorimetry analysis indicates that thermal decomposition of DMSO occurs at temperatures around its boiling point of 189 å¡C. Studies also show that the presence of certain substances can significantly lower the onset temperature of DMSO decomposition and also potentially increase the severity of the de!
composition reaction through autocatalytic behavior.

Further analysis of literature information indicates that there is a wide range of substances that exacerbate the thermal decomposition of DMSO, including acids, bases, halides, metals, electrophiles, oxidants, and reductants. This comprehensive review of explosion hazards associated with the thermal decomposition of DMSO and its mixtures will serve as an educational resource to alert researchers about the need to mitigate these hazards and to incentivize research toward its replacement with safer and greener solvents in the broader chemistry community.

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ROANOKE FIRE OFFICIALS ESTIMATE MORE THAN $275K IN DAMAGES FROM FRIDAY HAZMAT FIRE
https://www.wfxrtv.com/news/local-news/roanoke-fire-officials-estimate-more-than-275k-in-damages-from-friday-hazmat-fire/
Tags: us_VA, transportation, fire, response, hexane

ROANOKE, Va. (WFXR) ‰?? An afternoon hazmat fire in southeast Roanoke on Friday resulted in hundreds of thousands of dollars in damages to the tanker truck and the facility, according to fire officials‰?? Monday announcement.

According to Roanoke Fire-EMS, the initial call for a possible structure fire at the 1100 block of Industry Avenue SE came in just after 3 p.m. on Friday, May 15. At the time of the incident, WFXR News confirmed that crews were loading hazardous materials from the facility to a commercial vehicle. The Chemsolv tanker truck was carrying several flammable liquids, but fire officials believe the liquid being transferred at the time of the fire was hexane.

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EXPLOSION AT LINCOLN PARK METAL SCRAP YARD PROMPTS TEMPORARY CLOSURE
https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/2020/5/18/21262456/general-iron-industries-hazmat-fire-department-clifton
Tags: us_IL, industrial, explosion, response, metals, waste

A controversial North Side scrap recycler will remain closed under city orders until investigators determine the cause of a Monday explosion that sent plumes of smoke into the air.

Fire crews responded shortly after 9 a.m. to an explosion in the metal shredding conveyor system at General Iron Industries, 1909 N. Clifton Ave., Chicago Fire Department spokesman Larry Merritt said in an emailed statement.

No one was reportedly injured, officials said.

A ‰??major explosion and fire‰?? sent a ‰??fireball‰?? and ‰??mushroom cloud‰?? of smoke into the air, according to Ald. Brian Hopkins (2nd), whose ward includes the Lincoln Park recycling facility. Hopkins, who wants the facility shut down by executive order, said there were increased pollution readings in the surrounding neighborhood.

Air quality tests done immediately after the explosion show ‰??there is no apparent immediate health risk to residents and the surrounding community,‰?? according to the Fire Department, which is investigating the explosion with the Chicago Department of Public Health.

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JACKKNIFED BIG-RIG CRASH IN NEWHALL PASS RESULTS IN 40-GALLON FUEL SPILL ‰?? SANTA CLARITA VALLEY SIGNAL
https://signalscv.com/2020/05/jackknifed-big-rig-crash-in-newhall-pass-results-in-40-gallons-of-fuel-spilled/
Tags: us_CA, transportation, release, response, petroleum

More than three dozen gallons of fuel spilled onto the northbound Interstate 5 lanes near the State Route 14 interchange after a jackknifed big rig crashed Monday morning.

Hazmat crews with the Los Angeles County Fire Department responded to reports of a hazardous condition just before 8 a.m. in the Newhall Pass, according to Fire spokeswoman Leslia Lua.

The big-rig crash resulted in a fractured tank, resulting in the spill of 40 gallons of fuel, she added.

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PETROLEUM INCIDENT IN EUREKA
https://lostcoastoutpost.com/hazmat/20-2649/
Tags: us_CA, public, release, response, diesel, petroleum

A new hazardous materials incident involving petroleum has been reported to the California Office of Emergency Services.

According to a report published by the office, the incident took place at or near a road in Eureka at around 11:52 a.m. today.

About 10 gallons of a substance described as ‰??oil - mixed w coolant, diesel additive, vehicle fluids‰?? were released to the environment, according to the person who called in the report.

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3 FAMILY MEMBERS HOSPITALIZED AFTER CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING AT MESA HOME
https://www.azfamily.com/news/3-family-members-hospitalized-after-carbon-monoxide-poisoning-at-mesa-home/article_d705c9d8-97e8-11ea-95da-77f7534a272e.html
Tags: us_AZ, public, release, injury, carbon_monoxide

MESA, AZ (3TV/CBS5) -- Three family members had to be taken to the hospital Saturday night after suffering carbon monoxide poisoning at their Mesa home.

The incident was initially called out as a possible drowning, but was later determined to be a hazmat situation. Mesa fire officials say two family members were drinking in a closed garage with a running car at a home near Lindsay Road and University Drive. Both of them were suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning. Crews began "rapid, advanced life support," and quickly transported a 28-year-old man to the hospital in critical condition.

Hazmat crews responded to monitor the garage and house, both of which were determined to have very high levels of carbon monoxide. Crews quickly worked to evacuate and treat other family members. Two other people were transported to the hospital.

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

BLAST HITS CHEMICAL PLANT NEAR ITALIAN CITY OF VENICE
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-italy-blast/blast-hits-chemical-plant-near-italian-city-of-venice-idUSKBN22R1HS
Tags: Italy, industrial, explosion, injury, unknown_chemical

MILAN (Reuters) - An explosion at a chemicals plant in an industrial zone in Venice injured two workers and sent clouds of black smoke and flames into the sky on Friday, prompting local authorities to order residents to stay inside and close doors and windows.

Gianpaolo Bottacin, an official from the civil protection department, said the two workers had suffered serious burn injuries in the blast, which occurred in the Porto Marghera area on the mainland, a few kilometres from the historic centre of the lagoon city.

RAI state television and other local media reported the explosion hit speciality chemicals group 3V Sigma. No comment was immediately available from the company.

Ambulances and fire services as well as officials from environmental agency ARPAV were at the scene and television footage showed clouds of thick black smoke visible from several kilometres away.

‰??The area is blocked off at the moment, which means the fire won‰??t get out of the company site, but inside that area it‰??s hard to imagine it will be put out any time soon,‰?? Bottacin told a news briefing.

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INTERSTATE 90 CLOSED IN BOTH DIRECTIONS IN AVON DUE TO TANKER TRUCK CRASH
https://www.cleveland.com/metro/2020/05/interstate-90-closed-in-both-directions-in-avon-due-to-tanker-truck-crash.html
Tags: us_OH, transportation, release, response, ethanol

AVON, Ohio ‰?? Interstate 90 is closed in both directions Sunday evening after a tanker truck carrying alcohol overturned on the freeway.

The highway is closed between the Ohio Route 61 exit in Avon and the Ohio Route 254 in Sheffield Village, Avon police said in a news release.

The crash happened about 4 p.m., the news release states. There was a leak from the tanker truck, prompting a hazmat team to be called to the scene.

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