By Brooke Zauner |
Updated: Wed 6:01 PM, Jul 27, 2016
News12 First at Five / July 27, 2016
AUGUSTA, Ga (WRDW/WAGT) -- Marvin Griffin Road is now clear. News 12 has been working to get answers on how this happened, and what's being done to keep it from happening again.
It's not unusual to see big trucks on Marvin Griffin Road, but emergency crews got the call just before 7:30am Wednesday morning when something went wrong.
"This morning 911 dispatch received a call about a possible leak here on Marvin Griffin Road," said Richmond County's Fire Department Public Information Officer, Dee Griffin.
A transport trucker noticed what looked like a plume of smoke in the rear view mirror and pulled over. Augusta-Richmond County's hazmat team determined the truck was carrying hydrochloric acid.
"Hydrochloric acid can burn. It should not be inhaled, especially when it's wet. It's very dangerous," said Griffin.
The spill leaked for more than half a mile just beyond the railroad tracks. Brandon Haddock is the Communications Director for Textron, a company located across the street from where the spill happened.
"I've been with the company for nine years." said Haddock
In those nine years, he hasn't seen this.
"This is the first time in my tennure with the company that we've had an incident such as this," said Haddock.
The spill shut down almost a mile stretch of Marvin Griffin Road. Kellogg's, Textron, and Prayon plants all told their workers to shelter in place.
"We evacuated the two building on our campus that are closest to the spill site out of an abundance of caution and moved those employees to other buildings on campus where they could shelter in place," said Haddock.
Cleanup crews treated the road for more than three hours, but in any industrial area, the risk of chemical spills is much greater.
"Chemicals come in and out of Augusta. We have a lot of plants here and a lot of great things being produced here in Augusta, so you have this possibility," said Griffin.
Crews are still working to determine the cause of the leak. Textron sent workers home after the shelter in place was lifted.
Wednesday, July 27, 2016 | UPDATE: 11:08 a.m.
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) -- The westbound side of Marvin Griffin Road near the Textron plant is set to open back up after a hydrochloric acid spill.
The eastbound side will remain closed. The shelter and place has been lifted so workers at the Kellogg plant can come and go.
Officials have said to avoid the area if possible since it will remain down to one lane for the next several hours.
Wednesday, July 27, 2016 | UPDATE: 9:55 a.m.
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) -- New details being released after a morning chemical spill on Marvin Griffin Rd. near the Textron plant in Augusta.
A cleanup crew from Columbia, SC arrived shortly after 9:45 a.m., and it is expected the area won't be cleaned up for at least three hours.
The chemical is now in a dry form and poses no immediate threat to the area.
Our reporter on the scene learned that crews were dispatched to a leak around 7:23 a.m. Wednesday just beyond railroad tracks.
Augusta-Richmond County Hazmat team determined the substance to be a liquid form of Hydrochloric acid, a very dangerous chemical that can burn and should not be inhaled. The driver of the Transwood Carriers truck carrying the chemical saw a plume and pulled over.
It is unknown how the leak started. The spill was 30 inches wide and spread about 3000 feet.
Employees at the Textron plant are now are allowed to come and go. The spill is currently affecting the Textron, Kellogg's, and Prayon plants.
Wednesday, July 27, 2016
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) -- Richmond County deputies and hazmat crews are on the scene of a chemical leak near the Textron plant in Augusta.
Motorists are being asked to avoid Marvin Griffin Rd. between Perkins Rd. and Doug Barnard Pkwy.
Mie Lucas with Augusta-Richmond County EMA says that there is a tractor-trailer with a leak, but the leak is not occurring from one of the plants. The leak has been contained, reported by crews on the scene.
Brandon Haddock of Textron confirms the truck is not on their property, it is on Marvin Griffin Rd. They have suspended operations this morning.
Employees in two buildings at the plant have been evacuated, those employees have been moved to other buildings on the plant.
Gold Cross is on the scene and says there are no injuries.
All employees of Textron are being asked to shelter in place. Dee Griffin with the Augusta Fire Department says the Kellogg plant and others in the area are also being told to shelter in place.
Crews are currently working to clean up the scene, stay tuned for updates.