MAY 19, 2015
ALFRED, MAINE (NEWS CENTER)
Two corrections officers went to the hospital late Monday
night after a chemical reaction in the laundry room of the York County Jail
released a noxious gas.
Two chemicals were accidentally mixed causing the gas to
fill part of the jail, jail officials said.
The inmates mixed bleach with ammonia and this created the dangerous
gas.
Two inmates who were in the laundry room at the time
complained of feeling sick or said they had sore throats.
Two correctional officers at the jail also were sickened by
the order – also complaining of having sore throats -- and were taken to the
hospital for observation.
Several fire departments from surrounding communities
responded to the jail, including Alfred, Waterboro and the York County Haz-mat
Team.
Crews isolated the area of the jail where the chemical
reaction happened, Sheriff William King said.
The jail was also not accepting new inmates at that time of
night so exposure to the gas was limited, he said.
Crews had to air out the section of the jail where reaction
happened, bringing in large fans.
Around 2 a.m. Tuesday – an air quality check was performed
and things were found to be safe.
The condition of the inmates and officers sickened by the
gas has not yet been released.
Mixing bleach and ammonia is extremely dangerous, since
toxic vapors will be produced. The primary
toxic chemical formed by the reaction is chloramine vapor, with a potential
for hydrazine formation. Here's a look
at the chemical reactions involved in
mixing bleach and ammonia, as well as some first aid advice if you
accidentally become exposed to a bleach and ammonia mixture.
Chemicals Involved
Note that each and every one of these chemicals is toxic,
except for the water and salt.
NH3 = ammonia
HCl = hydrochloric acid
NaOCl = sodium hypochlorite (bleach)
Cl = chlorine
Cl2 = chlorine gas
NH2Cl = chloramine
N2H4 = hydrazine
NaCl =
sodium chloride or salt
H2O = water
Likely Chemical Reactions from Mixing Bleach and Ammonia
The bleach decomposes to form
hydrochloric
acid, which reacts with ammonia to form toxic chloramine fumes:
First the hydrochloric acid is formed:
NaOCl →
NaOH + HOCl
HOCl →
HCl + O
And then the ammonia and
chlorine
gas react to form chloramine, which is released as a vapor:
NaOCl + 2HCl →
Cl2 + NaCl + H2O
2NH3 + Cl2 →
2NH2Cl
If ammonia is present in excess (which it may or may not be,
depending on your mixture), toxic and potentially explosive liquid hydrazine
may be formed.
While impure hydrazine tends not to explode, it's still toxic,
plus it can boil and spray hot toxic liquid.
2NH3 + NaOCl →
N2H4 + NaCl + H2O
What to Do If You Mix Bleach and Ammonia - First Aid
If you do accidentally become to exposed to fumes from mixing
bleach and ammonia, immediately remove yourself from the vicinity to fresh air
and seek emergency medical attention.
The vapors can attack your eyes and mucous membranes, but
the biggest threat comes from inhaling the gases.
Get away from the site where the chemicals were mixed. You
can't call for help if you are overwhelmed by the fumes.
Call 911 for emergency help. If you really don't think it's
that bad, then at least call Poison Control for advice on handling the
after-effects of exposure and cleaning up the chemicals. The number for Poison
Control is:1-800-222-1222
If you find someone who you think has mixed bleach and
ammonia, chances are he or she will be unconscious. If you can, remove the
person to fresh air, preferably outdoors. Call 911 for emergency assistance. Do
not hang up until instructed to do so.
Thoroughly ventilate the area before returning to dispose of
the liquid. Seek specific instructions from Poison Control so that you don't
hurt yourself. You're most likely to make this mistake in a bathroom or
kitchen, so leave and seek assistance, return later to open a window, allow
time for the fumes to dissipate, and then go back to clean up. Dilute the
chemical mixture with plenty of water. Wear gloves, just as you would for
either bleach or ammonia.