fire firegeezer on 11 May 2008 09:53 am
Delayed Ignition In Lawrence
A RAIL ACCIDENT IN LAWRENCE, MASSACHUSETTS, ON THURSDAY EVENING created a spill of 250,000 lbs. of sodium chlorate. The spill was successfully handled by the fire department and no ignition or wind-spread was allowed. A haz-mat cleanup firm came right in and began packaging the powder for removal.
Saturday evening, some of the packages began spontaneously igniting and several fires broke out into flames that were described as “too bright to look at.” At first the FD was concerned about the possibility of toxic smoke endangering nearby neighborhoods, but it was quickly mitigated and no evacuations were required.
Eagle-Tribune / Jean photo
The North Andover Eagle-Tribune REPORTS:
ENPRO Environmental Services of Newburport, the company that conducted the decontamination and cleanup efforts after Thursday’s chemical spill, were back late last night investigating what caused the fire and making sure the public was protected from any further environmental or health threats.
Sodium chlorate is used to produce chlorine dioxide for bleaching paper. In large amounts, it can become volatile if it comes in contact with water or other organic items such as wood or other natural debris, said Lawrence fire Chief Peter Takvorian.
“If any wood or paper got into the boxes with the product, it could certainly cause the chemical to generate some heat. And that may have been the reason why it ignited,” Takvorian said last night.
The original spill occurred when the tank car carrying the chemical came off the rails and brushed along a railcar on the next track, leaving a gaping hole in the tank.
Eagle-Tribune / Bilodeau photo
The product left a debris field along the tracks of about 300 yards long, 6 inches wide and an inch deep. The FD’s initial fear was for any wind carrying the powder away which would endanger anybody breathing it. They initially evacuated about a dozen homes nearby.
Friday’s edition of the Eagle-Tribune tells the complete story of the initial incident HERE.
WFXT Ch. 25 reports from the scene of last night’s fire:
