Wednesday, February 25, 2015

CLOSE CALL: ONLY SMALL LEAK OF HAZARDOUS CHEMICAL AFTER TANKER CRASH IN LEXINGTON COUNTY, SOUTH CAROLINA THAT WAS CARRYING THOUSANDS OF GALLONS OF ISOBUTYL ACETATE





FEBRUARY 24, 2015

LEXINGTON, SOUTH CAROLINA

A vehicle carrying hazardous materials overturned Tuesday in Lexington County, forcing three nearby schools to keep children inside while the situation was dealt with.

According to DHEC, late Tuesday afternoon announced that the trailer had a very small leak. Contractor has placed booms around the area to contain the spilled material.

The accident happened on Pine Ridge Drive at Fish Hatchery Road just after noon. It's unclear what led up to the accident, but Pine Ridge police say the vehicle was carrying isobutyl acetate, a flammable liquid.

Officers say the vehicle's tank had thousands of gallons of the chemical in it.
The driver suffered injuries and was transported to the hospital for treatment.
Based upon advice from DHEC and Law Enforcement, Lexington School District Two sheltered students in place at Pine Ridge Middle School, Wood Elementary School and Congaree-Wood Early Childhood Center.

The situation was handled in time for students to be released on their normal schedule. DHEC says there is not a threat to the public.

If the driver is not careful, these tanker trucks rollover like puppies.  This was a close call indeed.

//---------------------------------------------------------------//
Lexington School District Two briefly sheltered students in place as a precaution Tuesday after a tanker overturned in the area, according to District spokeswoman Kay Joseph. 

"They were dismissed a little ahead of their normal dismissal time as parents and buses arrived to take students home," Joseph said.

The SC Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) said the truck that overturned at Pine Ridge Drive and at Fish Hatchery Roads was carrying isobutyl acetate, a chemical used as a thinning agent in the manufacture of sealants and lacquers, and in making perfumes and as a flavoring agent. 

A contractor for the SC Department of Health and Environmental Control inspected the scene of the overturned truck and has now determined that there was a "very small leak from the tanker." Booms were placed around the area to contain the spilled material, DHEC said. 

Isobutyl acetate is highly flammable and poses a moderate explosion hazard if exposed to heat, flame or oxidizers, according to the National Library of Medicine's TOXNET database. 

If inhaled, the vapor can cause cough, sore throat, dizziness, headache and loss of consciousness. 

"We will ensure the environmental contractor appropriately addresses any environmental concerns," DHEC said late this afternoon. 

Injuries from the accident have been reported, according to the South Carolina Highway Patrol.

Students are being sheltered at Pine Ridge Middle School, Wood Elementary School and Congaree-Wood Early Childhood Center, Joseph said. The decision was made based on advice from the Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) and local law enforcement.