MEC&F Expert Engineers : 30-GALLON DRUM CONTAINING DANGEROUS SODIUM CYANIDE FOUND IN NEW HOME

Wednesday, March 25, 2015

30-GALLON DRUM CONTAINING DANGEROUS SODIUM CYANIDE FOUND IN NEW HOME




MARCH 23, 2014

RACINE, WISCONSIN

Just three days after a resident moved into a new house, people working there found what appeared to be a toxic surprise they weren’t expecting.

They found what appeared to be a 30-gallon drum labeled sodium cyanide that was two-thirds full, said Racine Fire Battalion Chief Paul Madden.

As of Monday afternoon, Madden said they had not confirmed what was in the drum, but he did not believe it was sodium cyanide, which can be deadly when combined with water.  Sodium cyanide releases hydrogen cyanide gas, a highly toxic chemical asphyxiant that interferes with the body's ability to use oxygen. Exposure to sodium cyanide can be rapidly fatal.

Sodium cyanide is mainly used to extract gold and other precious metals in mining. This application exploits the high affinity of gold(I) for cyanide, which induces gold metal to oxidize and dissolve in the presence of air and water, producing the salt sodium gold cyanide (or gold sodium cyanide) and sodium hydroxide.

The Racine Fire Department’s hazmat team responded shortly after 11:15 a.m. Monday to the home in the 1300 block of Summit Avenue and police shut down the block where the chemical was found.

Madden said Monday afternoon the Fire Department had called in a cleanup crew to assist in the removal.

He confirmed the chemical is contained and there doesn’t appear to be any leak that would put anyone at risk.

“It’s more scary than anything,” said Megan Toeppe, 29, who had just moved into the house.

Her family owns Wisconsin Plating Works in Racine and she is familiar with the hazardous chemical. She said her boyfriend’s parents found it Monday when they were knocking down a wall in the basement.