Monday, July 13, 2015

Possible chemical leak at UCT Coating in Palm City, Florida forces evacuations of businesses

UPDATE: Officials say the investigation revealed that nitric acid fumes were the cause. They came from storage tanks filled yesterday.

An employee saw yellow smoke from it the fumes this afternoon and pulled the alarm. Surrounding businesses were told to evacuate but they're now back open.
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UPDATE: Officials have given the "all clear" signal regarding a possible chemical leak in Palm City.
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ORIGINAL STORY

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PALM CITY, Fla. -- Martin County Fire Rescue are responding to a possible chemical leak at UCT Coating on SW 42nd Avenue after one of their alarms went off.

Crews arrived to find yellow smoke coming from the building.

Yellow smoke is "emergency smoke" that is released to protect the chemicals and the environment from any type of exposure, according to MCFR.

HAZMAT crews are suiting up and going in to investigate why the alarms were triggered.

Surrounding businesses in the Sands Commerce Center have been evacuated as a precaution.