2 workers injured after sodium hydroxide chemical leak at Premier Manufacturing Corporation in Henderson, Tennessee

(Photo: Matt Rourke, AP)

Maranda Faris, The Jackson Sun 8:40 p.m. CDT 

July 29, 2015

 

Chester County Emergency Management Agency Director Johnny Farris confirmed two people were hurt when a pipe broke at Premier Manufacturing Corporation in Henderson.

Farris said a pipe broke, spilling sodium hydroxide chemicals onto two employees during a metal coating process. The two employees were transported to area hospitals.

Farris said one person was airflighted to a hospital, and the second was transported by EMS.

No details on their injuries or current conditions were immediately available.

Uranium hexafluoride was released at the Metropolis, IL Honeywell plant

AUGUST 2, 2015

METROPOLIS, ILLINOIS - 

The Metropolis, IL Honeywell plant is not producing product right now as investigators look into why a chemical compound leaked out Saturday afternoon.

Honeywell spokesperson Peter Dalpe says they're working to find out how much UF6 or uranium hexafluoride was released. A release of this same chemical happened back in October of 2014.

Uranium hexafluoride is a chemical compound consisting of one atom of uranium combined with six atoms of fluorine. It is the chemical form of uranium that is used during the uranium enrichment process.

“I guess its 3000 ft. away from our house, and if I can't smell anything yet  I'm going to get as far away from it as I can,” Elliot said.

It’s that close distance from the Honeywell Plant that made Jim Elliot leave with his daughter Abigail and two dogs instead of listening to an automated call.
“We were told to turn off the air conditioner, close all the windows, and stay in the house,” Elliot said.    

Crews spent two hours cleaning up a UF6 chemical leak at the plant reported around 6 Saturday night.

"This is two in 11 years,” Elliot said.

The Environmental Management website says UF6 or uranium hexafluoride is not really dangerous unless it’s ingested.  However, when it reacts with water vapor it breaks down into UO2F2 and hydrogen fluoride. UO2F2 is heavier than air and falls to the ground.  HF is a gas that rises and is a potentially hazardous substance when inhaled in large amounts.

Dalpe says this reaction happens because of the water present in the air, not because of the water Honeywell sprays on the material. He says the most effective way to weaken an HF cloud is to spray it with water knocking the cloud down and diluting the HF until you end up with small amounts of fluoride mixed with water.

Dalpe says there is no evidence the leak impacted anybody and despite the Plant's proximity, Elliott says he feels safe. Elliot appreciates the call system, but next time would like a more resounding alert.

“If a siren were to sound we wound know what that meant. If we were outside we would not have heard the phone, which in the summertime most people are going to be outside,” Elliot said.

Giving them peace of mind that they'll know, if there's ever an emergency in the future.


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Uranium Hexafluoride (UF₆)

Physical and chemical properties of UF₆, and its use in uranium processing.

Uranium Hexafluoride and Its Properties

Uranium hexafluoride is a chemical compound consisting of one atom of uranium combined with six atoms of fluorine. It is the chemical form of uranium that is used during the uranium enrichment process. Within a reasonable range of temperature and pressure, it can be a solid, liquid, or gas. Solid UF₆ is a white, dense, crystalline material that resembles rock salt.

UF₆ crystals in a glass vial.

 

Uranium hexafluoride does not react with oxygen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, or dry air, but it does react with water or water vapor. For this reason, UF₆ is always handled in leak tight containers and processing equipment. When UF₆ comes into contact with water, such as water vapor in the air, the UF₆ and water react, forming corrosive hydrogen fluoride (HF) and a uranium-fluoride compound called uranyl fluoride (UO₂F₂).

UF₆ and Uranium Processing

The gaseous diffusion process used to enrich uranium requires uranium in the form of UF₆. In the first step of UF₆ production, uranium ore is mined and sent to a mill where uranium oxide (often called "yellowcake") is produced. The uranium oxide is then sent to a UF₆ production facility. At the production facility, the uranium oxide is combined with anhydrous HF and fluorine gas in a series of chemical reactions to form the chemical compound UF₆. The product UF₆ is placed into steel cylinders and shipped as a solid to a gaseous diffusion plant for enrichment.

Uranium - From Ore to Reactor Fuel

 

Uranium hexafluoride is used in uranium processing because its unique properties make it very convenient. It can conveniently be used as a gas for processing, as a liquid for filling or emptying containers or equipment, and as a solid for storage, all at temperatures and pressures commonly used in industrial processes.

For more information on uranium processing, see the Depleted UF₆ Production and Handling slide show and Uranium Enrichment.
Properties of UF₆
UF₆ Health Effects

Truck Crash Into Propane Tank Causes Evacuations and Road Closures in White City, Oregon

By Connor Wist 

Aug. 2, 2015

WHITE CITY, Ore. -- 

A gas station had to be evacuated, as well as the surrounding area, after a truck crashed into a propane tank Saturday morning.

The crash happened at the Chevron Gas Station and Rainey's Convenience Store along Highway 234 in White City around 9:40 in the morning.

Antioch Road in White City was closed while several first responder teams made sure the area was safe. There were no injuries from the accident.

The owner of the truck, Rick Kirkman said he comes to the gas station often and when he came out of the store Saturday, he said his truck had rolled into the tank where an active leak burst out.

Before noon, the gas was shut off, roads were reopened and people were allowed to return to the area.

4 injured after tanker truck was hit by an SUV and went into a ditch in Lee County, Georgia

AUGUST 2, 2015

LEE CO., GA (WALB) - 

We are learning more details about a tanker truck accident in Lee County.

Andy Lawton who is the General manager of Quality Wrecker responded to the tanker truck crash yesterday on Grave Springs Rd.

Lawton confirmed that the tanker was hit by an SUV and went into a ditch but did not flip over. He also says that there were 4 people inside the SUV, a man a woman, and two children.  They all went to the hospital to be treated for their injuries.

Lee County deputies responded to the accident around 11:04 a.m. Saturday.

Lawton also said the driver of the tanker went to the hospital but was not seriously injured.

1 man was injured in crash of a 2010 Polaris all-terrain vehicle in Elkhart County, IN

Posted: Sunday, August 2, 2015 11:21 am

South Bend Tribune Report

Posted on Aug 2, 2015 

by Margaret Fosmoe

Elkhart County, IN

A 29-year-old Goshen man was taken to the hospital for injuries suffered in a one-vehicle crash late Saturday on County Road 48 west of U.S. 33 in Elkhart County, according to the Elkhart County Sheriff's Department.

The scene is about three miles northeast of Syracuse.

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The man was driving a 2010 Polaris all-terrain vehicle, according to police.  He was eastbound on County Road 48 along a curve when he lost control, causing the ATV to roll, according to police.

The man suffered cuts to his head and upper body, damage to his teeth and abrasions on his back, according to police. He was transported to Goshen General Hospital for treatment of the non-life threatening injuries.

The driver was believed to be operating the vehicle while intoxicated and had a preliminary blood alcohol count of 0.238 percent, according to police. In Indiana, it is illegal to operate a motor vehicle with a blood-alcohol level of 0.80 percent or higher.

After treatment, the driver was arrested on a preliminary charge of operating while intoxicated. He has not yet been formally charged.