How sad and tragic.  Many years ago we had exactly the same accident happen at a local county high school.  Never assume that a drum is empty.  

Becky Cutlip
Chem. Hygiene/Safety Officer
Marietta College

---- Jennifer Wesley  wrote: 
> Here's an additional link to a fatal accident that occurred in an Ontario
> high school last week: 
> 
> http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/student-dies-after-explosion-in
> -ottawa-high-school-auto-shop/article2035724/ 
> 
>  
> 
> Jennifer Wesley
> 
> University of Guelph
> 
>  
> 
> From: DCHAS-L Discussion List [mailto:DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU] On Behalf Of
> Secretary, ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety
> Sent: June 1, 2011 8:21 AM
> To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU
> Subject: [DCHAS-L] Chemical Safety Headlines From Google (8 articles)
> 
>  
> 
> Chemical Safety Headlines From Google
> 
> Wednesday, June 1, 2011 8:15:01 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 (8 articles)
> 
>  
> 
> MAN FOUND DEAD INSIDE CAR ON ARSENAL STREET; HAZMAT TEAMS CALLED-IN WHEN
> NOTE WARNED OF POISON
> 
> Tags: us_MA, public, release, death, suicide
> 
>  
> 
> WATER PIPE BREAKS AT ALLENTOWN SEWAGE PLANT
> 
> Tags: us_NJ, public, release, environmental, sulfur_dioxide
> 
>  
> 
> UPDATED: HAZMAT CLOSES PEARL STREET, BROOKLINE
> 
> Tags: us_MA, public, release, environmental, petroleum
> 
>  
> 
> HAZARDOUS MATERIALS SPILL REPORTED ON SUDBURY WATER DISTRICT PROPERTY
> 
> Tags: us_MA, industrial, release, response, chlorine
> 
>  
> 
> THE CLOSED DOWN AND CONTROVERSIAL DETROIT POLICE CRIME LAB BECOMES A HAZMAT
> SCENE
> 
> Tags: us_MI, laboratory, discovery, response, unknown_chemical
> 
>  
> 
> ALON DISCOVERS LEAK WHILE STARTING UP BAKERSFIELD REFINERY
> 
> Tags: us_CA, industrial, release, response, hydrogen_sulfide
> 
>  
> 
> HAZMAT TEAM CONTAINS CHEMICAL SPILL
> 
> Tags: us_OH, public, release, response, unknown_chemical
> 
>  
> 
> UNSTABLE CHEMICALS MADE SAFE
> 
> Tags: Ireland, public, discovery, response, picric_acid
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> ---------------------------------------------
> 
>  
> 
> MAN FOUND DEAD INSIDE CAR ON ARSENAL STREET; HAZMAT TEAMS CALLED-IN WHEN
> NOTE WARNED OF POISON
> 
> http://waltham.patch.com/articles/man-found-dead-inside-car-on-arsenal-stree
> t
> 
> Tags: us_MA, public, release, death, suicide
> 
>  
> 
> A man was found dead inside a car on Arsenal Street this evening and
> authorities are saying the death was an apparent suicide.
> 
>  
> 
> According to Watertown Police Lt. Michael Lawn, a couple walking their dog
> near the parking lot of 480 Arsenal St. spotted the silver Honda Accord and
> called in a suspicious vehicle to police. Officers were called to the scene
> just before 6 p.m. Saturday.
> 
>  
> 
> When police arrived on scene, Lawn said they found notes on the front
> driver- and passenger-side windows stating "poison used, stay away." The
> note also mentioned the poison used, "H2S" (hydrogen sulfide), as well as
> instructions to call hazmat teams. 
> 
>  
> 
> ---------------------------------------------
> 
>  
> 
> WATER PIPE BREAKS AT ALLENTOWN SEWAGE PLANT
> 
> http://www.app.com/article/20110531/NJNEWS/305310045/Water-pipe-breaks-Allen
> town-sewage-plant?odyssey=nav%7Chead
> 
> Tags: us_NJ, public, release, environmental, sulfur_dioxide
> 
>  
> 
> ALLENTOWN - Emergency personnel responded to the municipal sewage plant
> Monday night after a water pipe broke, causing another pipe and valve to
> fail spraying sulfur dioxide inside a secured room on the site, according to
> the fire marshal.
> 
>  
> 
> Firefighters initially responded around 8:30 p.m. on Monday after an alarm
> was tripped by a broken pipe spraying water inside a containment room at the
> sewage plant which lead to a pipe containing the sulfur dioxide to break and
> contaminate the room, Fire Marshal Dennis Symons said.
> 
>  
> 
> The Monmouth County HazMat team responded and the situation was under
> control and cleared by about 12:30 a.m Tuesday morning, Symons said.
> 
>  
> 
> ---------------------------------------------
> 
>  
> 
> UPDATED: HAZMAT CLOSES PEARL STREET, BROOKLINE
> 
> http://brookline.patch.com/articles/hazmat-closes-pearl-street-brookline
> 
> Tags: us_MA, public, release, environmental, petroleum
> 
>  
> 
> [Updated 2:31 p.m.] An oil tank on the roof of the apartment complex at 77
> Pearl Street, containing between 250-300 gallons of heating oil, started to
> leak into the sewer system. 
> 
>  
> 
> According to Deputy Chief Robert Ward of the Brookline Fire Department,
> Firefighters and maintenance workers were able to control the leak allowing
> only approximately 10-15 gallons of oil into the sewer system.
> 
>  
> 
> Brookline Water Department and DPW responded with vaccuum trucks to try and
> remove the oil and also used soak pads in the sewers. Pearl Street between
> Brookline Avenue and Washington Street remains closed.
> 
>  
> 
> ---------------------------------------------
> 
>  
> 
> HAZARDOUS MATERIALS SPILL REPORTED ON SUDBURY WATER DISTRICT PROPERTY
> 
> http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/top_stories/x800623296/Hazardous-materials
> -spill-reported-on-Sudbury-Water-District-property
> 
> Tags: us_MA, industrial, release, response, chlorine
> 
>  
> 
> SUDBURY -
> 
> Teams in hazardous materials suits fixed a chlorine gas leak yesterday at
> the Sudbury water treatment plant that authorities said did not threaten a
> nearby school or homes.
> 
>  
> 
> About a third of the contents of a 150-pound tank escaped into the air
> around 11 a.m. due to a faulty valve, authorities said.
> 
>  
> 
> The gas was released when a Sudbury Water District employee could not close
> a balky valve during a routine changing of the tank, officials said. When
> the valve stuck, the worker left the building, and the fire department was
> called.
> 
>  
> 
> ---------------------------------------------
> 
>  
> 
> THE CLOSED DOWN AND CONTROVERSIAL DETROIT POLICE CRIME LAB BECOMES A HAZMAT
> SCENE
> 
> http://www.wxyz.com/dpp/news/region/detroit/the-closed-down-and-controversia
> l-detroit-police-crime-lab-becomes-a-hazmat-scene
> 
> Tags: us_MI, laboratory, discovery, response, unknown_chemical
> 
>  
> 
> DETROIT, Mich (WXYZ) - The entire block in front of the closed down and
> controversial Detroit Police Crime Lab was closed down for hours Tuesday as
> the scene turned into a HAZMAT situation. 
> 
>  
> 
> Investigators with Detroit Police Internal Affairs and Michigan State Police
> say that's because of the chemicals that have been in the building, in a
> closed off room since the buidling closed.  The room is reportedly filled
> with black mold and chemicals that if spilled or combined could reportedly
> become toxic and dangerous or even explosive.
> 
>  
> 
> Another reason the street was blocked off was because Tiger fans park on
> Brush in front of the building and people walk or ride bikes by and there
> was no guarantee the situation would stay safe.
> 
>  
> 
> A company called Marine Pollution was called in to help. After hours of
> being at the closed down lab they decided the chemicals that have been there
> for a long time should  be removed within 24 hours.
> 
>  
> 
> People who live nearby say the whole thing makes them uneasy and they will
> be glad when the place is cleaned out and torn down.
> 
>  
> 
> ---------------------------------------------
> 
>  
> 
> ALON DISCOVERS LEAK WHILE STARTING UP BAKERSFIELD REFINERY
> 
> http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-05-24/alon-discovers-leak-while-starting-
> up-bakersfield-refinery-1-.html
> 
> Tags: us_CA, industrial, release, response, hydrogen_sulfide
> 
>  
> 
> Alon USA Energy Inc. (ALJ) is trying to identify the source of a hydrogen
> sulfide leak at its Bakersfield, California, refinery that was discovered
> while operators were starting up production.
> 
> The company has evacuated all contractors from the units, said Gordon
> Leaman, the refinery's general manager. According to a notice filed with
> state regulators, the leak was discovered at 8:10 a.m. local time today.
> 
> Alon said in March that it expected to start the hydrocracker at the
> refinery by mid-2011. The company plans to process vacuum gas oil produced
> from its other California refineries. Alon bought the refinery from Flying J
> Inc.
> 
>  
> 
> ---------------------------------------------
> 
>  
> 
> HAZMAT TEAM CONTAINS CHEMICAL SPILL
> 
> http://www.wlwt.com/r/28091026/detail.html
> 
> Tags: us_OH, public, release, response, unknown_chemical
> 
>  
> 
> WOODLAWN -- The hazmat team has contained a chemical spill at a Woodlawn
> business Wednesday morning.
> 
> Crews were called to the location on Marion Road about 4 a.m. for a report
> of a medium sized spill. At one point, they issued a "shelter in place" and
> asked all nearby residents to stay inside their homes.
> 
> Reports indicate crews were able to get the spill contained in about an
> hour. Crews at the scene told News 5's Alison Montoya the chemical was
> actually oil and not as hazardous as once thought. They said about 30
> gallons had spilled at the scene.
> 
> The company in the area, Academy Rentals, will now need to cleanup the oil,
> according to crews at the scene.
> 
>  
> 
> ---------------------------------------------
> 
>  
> 
> UNSTABLE CHEMICALS MADE SAFE
> 
> http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2011/0531/breaking38.html
> 
> Tags: Ireland, public, discovery, response, picric_acid
> 
>  
> 
> An Army bomb disposal team made safe a quantity of unstable picric acid in
> Killmallock, Co Limerick this morning.
> 
>  
> 
> The Defence Forces deployed the team to a retail premises on Sheare St.
> where a quantity of the unstable chemical had been found during a routine
> audit of chemicals.
> 
>  
> 
> Picric acid is a chemical re-agent and is frequently used in laboratories
> but can crystallise and become unstable over time.
> 
>  
> 
> The team arrived on scene at 10.30am and the substance was made safe via a
> controlled explosion. The area was declared safe at 11.40am
> 
>  
> 
> ---------------------------------------------
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 

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