Winds disperse acid fumes

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33520, 29 April 1974, Page 13

Winds disperse acid fumes

t'N Z.P.A.-Reuter —Copyright) CHICAGO. April 28. Thousands of Chicago residents have begun scrubbing from their homes and belongings the layer of white dust left by a cloud of choking acid fumes which hung over the city for 21 hours.

I The five-mile-long cloud, 'which stung eyes and throats and caused bouts of sickness and headaches, was dispersed by strong winds last night.

and today what is left of it is drifting out across Lake Michigan. Thirty-six people were treated in hospitals, but only two, both with heart trouble, are reported to be seriously ill.

The cloud emanated from 70,000 gallons of silicone tetrachloride leaking from a storage tank. The chemical, when exposed to the air, produces hydrochloric acid fumes.

About 15.000 people who returned to their homes yesterday after being taken to safer areas at the height ol the scare were told to wash their cars, the metal sides of houses and sheds, and all other outside surfaces made of metal, beause the layer of dust from the cloud could eat into the platework.

After several futile attempts to seal the tank, workers last night began pumping the chemical into two other storage containers at the Bulk Terminals Company’s premises near Calumet: Harbour

A spokesman for the State Attornev (Mr Bernard Carey) said that an investigation would begin within the next

tew days to determine whether civil or criminal charges would be filed against the company.

Jordanian find An ancient cave with crosses inscribed at its entrance has been uncovered’ about six miles west of Amman. The Department of Archaeology says that pre-' liminary studies indicate’ that the mosaic-floored cave' was used as a church in the! Byzantine era (fourth-fifth century A.D.), and later as a residence in the Omayyad era (661-750 A.D.) — Amman, Anri! 28.