7 FIREFIGHTERS WERE TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL AFTER BREATHING TOXIC AND FLAMMABLE PHOSPHINE GAS IN SAVANNAH, GEORGIA. EMERGENCY ORDER LIFTED THIS MORNING.
February 10,
2015
SAVANNAH,
GA (WTOC) -
Savannah Fire, Southside Fire/EMS and Metro Police responded to a
chemical situation at the Savannah Marine Terminal off of Magazine Avenue.
According to a police spokesperson, water came in contact with a substance at Savannah Marine, and became volatile. A chemical plume could be seen drifting north from that area just before 11 p.m. Monday night.
Savannah-Chatham Metro Police were encouraging residents around the Augusta Avenue corridor overnight to stay inside and avoid exposure to the chemical plume as it settles. That has now been lifted and officials say it is okay to go outside and the threat is gone. They say the chemical is isolated to the container.
According to a police spokesperson, water came in contact with a substance at Savannah Marine, and became volatile. A chemical plume could be seen drifting north from that area just before 11 p.m. Monday night.
Savannah-Chatham Metro Police were encouraging residents around the Augusta Avenue corridor overnight to stay inside and avoid exposure to the chemical plume as it settles. That has now been lifted and officials say it is okay to go outside and the threat is gone. They say the chemical is isolated to the container.
Savannah Fire spokesman Mark Keller gave an update on what is going on as of Tuesday morning.
The chemical was aluminum phosphide. It is toxic and is used as an insecticide or fumigant for grain and as an igniting agent in flares. This chemical will react with water or moisture to release highly toxic and flammable phosphine gas.
Firefighters
responded on the call of a structure fire and upon arrival, began putting water
on it. The water got into two 35 gallon containers that houses the product and
it started to react and made it worse and released the highly toxic and
flammable phosphine gas, so firefighters had to back off from it. Then, it was
just a process of diluting and containing it," explained Keller.
"Someone saw smoke, and that is why a structure fire call went out. The
immediate area was asked to stay indoors. Now they are working with state and
federal officials to make sure they have it contained properly and isolated. A
total of seven firefighters were taken to the hospital.”
Savannah Fire gave the "all clear," and reopened Magazine Avenue Tuesday morning around 8 a.m.
