Verdigris company’s employees evacuated after chemical spill
By DIANA DICKINSON ddickinson@claremoreprogress.com
23 hrs ago
A hydrochloric acid spill at a galvanizing plant east of the Tulsa Port of Catoosa, which caused some of the plant’s employees to be evacuated, has been contained, according to the Verdigris Fire Department.
VFD Chief Mike Shaffer said no injuries were reported after a tank breach occurred at the Valmont Coatings-Oklahoma Galvanizing plant located in the Riverview Industrial Park in Verdigris Monday afternoon.
Shaffer said some of the plant’s employees were evacuated to a nearby plant as a precautionary measure while trained Valmont employees and a private mitigation company worked to make the area safe.
The chemical was contained thanks to a system in place at the plant.
Shaffer said a truck service was performing a “pump transfer from one tank to another” when a vacuum on one of the tanks caused the tank to implode, tearing welded seams and leaking the chemical onto the floor.
The spilled substance contained only 10 percent hydrochloric acid.
“While it is not 100 percent hydrochloric acid, it is still hazardous material because of its nature,” Shaffer said. There is no current danger to the public or environment from the chemical, he added.
Shaffer said the fire department was on standby in case they are needed, but the cleanup was being managed by Valmont. The Claremore Fire Department will deploy a HazMat Team to “put their stamp of approval” on the situation once the cleanup has been completed, Shaffer said.
Rogers County Emergency Management and other agencies also responded to the spill.