Wednesday, February 18, 2015

4 TRANSPORTED TO HOSPITAL AFTER HAZMAT INCIDENT AT SHREWSBURY WALMART








Emergency medical personnel wheel a person to a waiting ambulance at the Walmart in Shrewsbury, Wednesday February 18, 2015. (JOHN PAVONCELLO)




FEBRUARY 18, 2015


SHREWSBURY, PENNSYLVANIA

Four people were transported to York Hospital on Wednesday afternoon after they breathed fumes from a chemical spill at the Shrewsbury Walmart. 

A total of 12 people were exposed to chemical fumes when a container overturned in a tractor-trailer that was being unloaded at the store, spilling what a hazardous materials team determined to be a cleaning solution, said Shrewsbury Fire Chief Tony Myers. 

Those affected complained of a burning sensation in their throats or shortness of breath, Myers said. The four who were transported to the hospital had non-life-threatening injuries and were being kept in the hospital for observation, he said. 

Response: Fire crews, the hazmat team, several ambulances and York County's mobile command unit responded shortly after 4 p.m. to the Walmart at 698 Shrewsbury Commons Ave., which was quickly evacuated and remained closed while emergency crews ventilated the building. It re-opened at 5:45 p.m. once emergency responders deemed everything to be safe. 

Wal-Mart spokesman Brian Nick said all of the people exposed to the chemical were employees. He said the store was working to figure out more details about what had happened. 

Myers said he thinks the container that spilled was one of the store's products, as the spill occurred in a delivery truck that was being unloaded. He said no one was sure how the spill happened. 

"We're treating it as an accidental release," the chief said.
Nick said employees in the back area smelled "something kind of pungent and off" and reported that to their bosses. Emergency crews contained the fumes to that area, he said. 

Working: Noelle Townsley was working behind the counter of the Philly Pretzel Factory in the front of the store when emergency personnel arrived. 

"I was working and a firefighter came up to me and said, 'Ma'am, you have to evacuate,'" she said, standing outside of the then-evacuated Walmart on Wednesday afternoon, looking at the array of fire engines and ambulances that spanned the length of the store. She said she didn't smell anything weird before she left the building, but her station is on the other side of the large store from the back area where the spill happened.