Fuming acid spilt at port

Press, 15 September 1976, Page 3

Fuming acid spilt at port

PA Nelson Twenty-one men were sent to hospital after a dangerous chemical was spilt at Port Nelson yesterday morning. A special team of police, traffic officers, and Health Department and D.S.I.R. experts rushed to McGlashen Quay just after 10 a.m. after a carton being loaded in the Totara started to fume. The traffic manager fori Anchor-Dorman, Ltd, Mr A. K. Gellatly, said watersidersi ■were loading the large parcel’ iri the vessel on a pallet with, other goods when it burstand started “smoking.” j The fire service was called; after workmen failed to stop! the fuming with a fire extinguisher. Th 21 watersiders were taken to hospital as a precaution after the incident. All were later discharged. Mr Gellatly said the parcel was unmarked, although it was later found to contain chlorosulphonic acid, which is potentially explosive when mixed with a little water. “The package was sent from a Christchurch firm and the loading bill stated it was “one carton.” There was no description of its contents, not even on the packet. “This is the most worrying aspect of the whole affair. If

it had burst at sea the ship could have been endangered.” A fire service spokesman said the chemical was potentially explosive when mixed with small quantities of ■ water. Even a fire extinguisher would act as an accelerator. he said. On instructions from the special chemical team, firemen doused the smouldering package with hydrated lime.