Toxic chemicals leak

Press, 29 March 1980, Page 2

Toxic chemicals leak

PA Dunedin Dunedin’s emergency services were called out and. two people taken to hospital after toxic chemicals were discovered leaking from a container in South Dunedin yesterday morning. The alert began when workers at the Alltrans Express freight forwarders depot detected a strong odour when they opened a container packed with 30 drums of formalin. Formalin is a preservative and has a strong, distinctive smell. It is highly toxic and when exposed to flames or sparks can be explosive. Emergency services were called about 9.15 a.m. and more than 35 police, fire, ambulance, and Ministry of Transport officers responded.

Two depot workers who had inhaled the fumes were taken to hospital for examination and later discharged. Firemen wearing breathing apparatus worked in rotation using a forklift to remove the drums from the container. The drum's were taken about 30 metres away and, then checked for leaks. One was found to have been leaking. The fire brigade used a special sealant to seal the hole and the drum was taken to a nearby yard where the formalin was . transferred into other containers. The Press Association reports that a civil. emergency was declared at Napier ■ yesterday morning when a drum of dangerous chemicals was noticed leaking at the railway station.

Roads round the station were sealed off and: an area several hundred metres downwind was cleared of people as firemen attempted to disperse the gas.

A drum of sodium hydrogen sulphide appeared to be leaking as it left the Hastings railway yards, 20 minutes before reaching Napier. ' On arrival in Napier the drum was shifted to a flatbed waggon and doused with water to disperse the gas.’

Firemen wearing breathing apparatus decanted the remaining chemical jnto an airtight drum and the emergency was lifted after an. hour.

The police, traffic officers,, firemen, and ambulance staff stood by in case anyone was affected by the gas. ,