Sunday, June 21, 2015

2 WORKERS EXPOSED TO STANNOUS CHLORIDE CHEMICAL FUMES, AFTER UNITED TACONITE LAB VENTILATION FAILURE IN FORBES, MN








JUNE 20, 2015

FORBES, MN

Two United Taconite (a division of Cliffs Natural Resources Company) employees were evacuated and checked by medical personnel Saturday morning as a precautionary measure after an exhaust fan in a lab there failed, according to a spokesperson for the company.   The address is 8470 Townline Road, Forbes, MN 55738

On Sunday, Pat Persico, director of global communications for Cliffs, said both employees had been released with a clean bill of health, and one was back to work already. 

Virginia Fire Dept. Battalion Chief Erik Jonassen had said Saturday that two people left the site and were taken by personal vehicle to a local hospital; one had burns to his face while the other person's injuries were unknown, that he believed their injuries were non-life threatening. However, Persico said Sunday that neither employee had been injured at all.

The two employees were analyzing iron ore and working with a chemical compound called stannous chloride, a vapor that can cause harm if inhaled as well as irritate and burn the skin or eyes. Persico said the employees were evacuated before any chemical was inhaled. 

The Virginia Fire Department got the call at 10:49 a.m. on Saturday. When crews arrived, the lab and associated areas of the building were evacuated and sealed. Firefighters worked with the Minnesota State Duty Officer as well as Minnesota Homeland Security on identifying and determining the proper personnel protective equipment. 

Once the area was cleared, Jonassen said they started ventilating the atmosphere and identified the chemical compound as stannous chloride and determined how to mitigate it. After that, they ventilated the lab and cleared the scene by 2:15 p.m.

As of Sunday, Persico said the lab has been cleared and is functioning normally. 
McDavitt Fire Department assisted on the scene.

Company Overview

United Taconite LLC owns and operates iron ore mining and palletizing assets. The company produces magnetite pellets. United Taconite LLC was formerly known as EVTAC Mining Co. and changed its name to United Taconite LLC in September 2004. The company was founded in 1965 and is based in Eveleth, Minnesota. United Taconite LLC operates as a subsidiary of Cliffs Natural Resources Inc.

8470 Townline Road, Forbes, MN 55738
Phone: (218) 744-7800