day along a stretch of Route
422 between Girard and
Niles. What could have been a
disaster -- ended with no one
hurt.
It's quiet tonight at Predator
Trucking in Weathersfield
Township where -- at
around 7-30 this morning --
25-hundred gallons of
hydrochloric acid spilled from a
truck owned by a company called
Profrac of Forth Worth, Texas.
75 people in 23 homes -- along
with two restaurants -- were
evactuated for
three hours. Tonight we dig
deeper into the emergency
response. First News reporter
Dan Marcell joins us live in the
studio.
The chemical did not travel off
that property, and no waterways
were impacted.
But still a mandatory evacuation
was put in place. But one expert
I spoke with says this incident
reminded him of another right
here in
the valley. This time response
was quick, and handled well. But
could have been lot worse.
TIM STYRANEC - SO WE KEEP OUT
ACIDS HERE. THEY'RE SO
DANGEROUS THAT WE KEEP THEM IN
ACID CABINETS.
Dan: Earlier today I met with
Tim Styranec.
A Health and Safety Specialist
at YSU who showed me a gallon of
Hydrocloric Acid.
The same chemical that spilled
in Weathersfield early this
morning.
Styranec - IF I DROPPED THIS
BOTTLE RIGHT NOW IT WOULD CAUSE
US MAJOR PROBLEMS. Dan:
Styranec was there during the
chemical spill at the college
back in November of
2012. When a student spilled
Hydrocloric
Acid onto the floor of the
building. He says that incident
was similar to this but
on a much larger scale.
STYRANEC - THINK ABOUT THIS
MULTIPLIED BY 25-HUNDRED TIMES.
SO IF WE SPILL THIS IN THIS ROOM
WE'D PROBABLY HAVE TO EVACUATE
THIS
PART OF THE BUILDING AND A GOOD
PORTION OF THE BUILDING.
Dan: This 911 call we obtained
shows
people in the area thought it
was a fire.
A BIG PUFF OF SMOKE COMING OUT
OF THE BACK OF THE BUILDING.
Dan: Styranec says that smoke
wasnt fire.
But actually the Hydrocloric
Acid reacting to the
environment.
STYRANEC - KNOWING IT WAS THAT
MUCH, IT WAS PROBABLY
REACTING WITH THE MOISTURE IN
THE AIR.
Dan: The Occupational Safety
and Health
Aministraiton also had people at
the spill site. As well as
members of the Ohio EPA.
OSHA says they're still
investigating. The EPA says an
environmental
contractor is on the scene
cleaning up the spill.
The evacuation has been lifted
and people are able to return
to their homes.
Businesses are expected to
reopen tomorrow.
In the studio Dan Marcel WKBN 27
First News.
