Friday, March 20, 2015

CHEMICAL REACTION TRIGGERS EVACUATION AT AKZONOBEL PLANT IN ROANOKE, VIRGINIA






MARCH 18, 2015

ROANOKE, VIRGINIA

Roanoke Fire-EMS officials are investigating a chemical reaction at the Roanoke AkzoNobel plant that prompted an evacuation Wednesday afternoon, officials said.  The plant address is 2837 Roanoke Ave SW, Roanoke, VA 24015.

Roanoke Fire-EMS spokeswoman Tiffany Bradbury said in a news release that a chemical contained in a drum started smoking around 12:45 p.m. at an auxiliary building at 2837 Roanoke Ave SW, Roanoke, VA 24015. The company manufactures wood coatings for kitchen and bath cabinets.

Three employees worked in that building, but the fire alarm triggered an evacuation for all production workers, said company site manager Russell Huff in an email. Huff said no one was injured and there were no reports of environmental releases.

Though residents near the business might have been able to smell fumes, Bradbury said the chemical is not toxic.

Huff said the drum contained material used to make coatings, and it exceeded optimum temperature. What exactly the chemical is hasn't been released.

A private contractor, the Roanoke Office of Emergency Management and the fire-EMS hazmat team are investigating what caused the chemical reaction.
The drum containing the chemical was removed from the building, as it was still reacting, Bradbury said.

Huff said production has been suspended until Thursday.

The extent of the damage is unknown at this time.