(Photo: John Hogan, WZZM)
John Hogan and Kayla R Fortney
August 11, 2015
This is the second time the company has had to respond to a spill in the last month.
GRAND RAPIDS, MI (WZZM) --
About 50 gallons of diluted sodium hydroxide entered a storm water drain flowing into Mill Creek during a late morning spill at Haviland Products on the city's Northwest Side.
About 200 gallons of the chemical, commonly known as lye, spilled at Haviland's Ann Street facility, located west of U.S. 131. Haviland employees were able to contain 150 gallons on site, but the remainder entered the city's storm water drain, Grand Rapids Battalion Chief Bruce Veldkamp said. The incident was reported at 11:15 a.m.
The chemical was 50 percent diluted and the amount entering the water system does not pose a health risk, Veldkamp said.
Grand Rapids employees capped a storm sewer on Ann Street across from Will Avenue NW to keep the spill in check. Health officials are monitoring Mill Creek and have set up a containment system where the storm drain enters the creek several hundred yards west of the plant.
About 200 gallons of diluted sodium hydroxide spilled at Haviland Products at 11:15 a.m. (Aug. 11, 2015) (Photo: John Hogan, WZZM)
The Haviland plant is located on Ann Street near Turner Avenue NW . This is the second time the company has had to respond to a spill in the last month. On July 14,an oxidizer reaction occurred, sending a chemical plume in the air. There were no injuries and Haviland said it would pay for the hazmat response, estimated to cost between $7,000 - $10,000.
About 200 gallons of diluted sodium hydroxide spilled at Haviland Products at 11:15 a.m. (Aug. 11, 2015) (Photo: John Hogan, WZZM)