Hazmat Disasters

By Author: Henry Ford
Total Articles: 189
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Chemical substances which are misused or released in the atmosphere are a threat to the environment and health. Accidents involving hazardous materials can occur anywhere chemical substances are manufactured, transported or stored. Chemical emergencies occur on highways, manufacturing facilities, pipelines and railways. Similarly emergencies can happen in residential areas where the chemicals are stored such as gasoline, pesticides etc (Lesak and David 1999). There has also been the use of chemical substances in terrorism activities. In the same way there are cases where natural disasters for instance flooding leading to chemical spill.

There are many forms of hazardous materials including poisons, explosives, radioactive materials, combustible and flammable materials. In the United States an estimated 4.5 million facilities are responsible for the manufacture, use and storage of hazardous materials. This varies from the dry cleaning establishment or gardening stores in the locality, to the main industrial plants. There is a great variation in the chemical properties of the substances such that the occurrences may include: ...
... a bad smell, plume in the sky, and or spill on the ground. In some cases though the incident may not be quite apparent as there may be no color, odor or it may occur beneath the ground surface. It is for this reason that the public ought to be effectively educated on matters to do with hazmat disasters.

Graniteville Train Disaster
The Graniteville train disaster occurred on January 6 2005 in the United States, South Carolina. At around 2:40 am Eastern Standard Time two trains crashed in Graniteville next to an Avondale Mills plant. One of the trains, Norfolk Southern train No. P22 had parked on a siding nearby the Avondale Mills plant (National Transportation Safety Board, 2005). On the other hand train No. 192 transporting cresol, sodium hydroxide and gasoline gas was made to divert by a railroad switch that had been improperly lined. This led it to the siding where the collision with P22 occurred. This led to a derailment of the two locomotives, 16 of 192 freight cars, and one of P22 freight cars. A tank car of 192 which was filled with chlorine busted and released not less than 90 tons of the gas. The other car continue to leak for more than 48 hours before repair crews could cover the hole which had been a result of a large gash on the side of the car. On the wreckage there laid two more chlorine tankard cars that had been damaged.

When the collision occurred most of the townspeople were asleep only to be awakened by the loud sound and pungent smell of the chlorine gas. For the many hours that followed it become a challenge to get the residents to safety. Almost immediately after the collision hundreds of calls were received by 9-1-1 operators from worried people who were suffocating from the fumes (Frommer, 2005). As the rescuers were arriving at the scene they came across pickup trucks that had been overloaded with terrified residents, majority whom suffered respiratory distress.
Through radio and phone communications, the commanders of the incident realized that some people fleeing the fumes in darkness were actually running into the contaminated area. The residents were instructed by a reverse 9-1-1 message to remain indoors, place wet blankets on windows and doors, and cut off heating systems (Frommer, 2005). At the same time the incident commanders realized the important role that the media will play in getting appropriate instructions to the residents. Live newscasts were expected to supply information regarding the accident, in addition to offering instructions on how the residents of the surrounding areas will be evacuated. The safety precautions to be abided to were also transmitted through the media.

The Aiken County Sheriff’s Department called for assistance from agencies in the neighborhood, state and federal agencies. The assistance was secured within an hour from more than 15 law enforcement agencies in the surrounding areas. These agencies together with the local authorities ensured the survivors were rescued and an evacuation zone reaching to two-miles was secured. The incidence which lasted to a period close to two weeks saw the involvement of more than 110 municipal, county, state, and federal law enforcement; EMS agencies, hazmat, as well as National Safety Board, Federal Railway Administration, National Environment Protection Agency and Homeland Security (Frommer, 2005).

During the initial hours incident commanders received notification from 9-1-1 operators who were contacted by residents pleading for rescue in the immediate hot zone. The law enforcement officers together with the local hazmat were dressed in the appropriate gear and steadily worked to ensure there were no fatalities. Similarly those that were fleeing the immediate hot zone were provided with decontaminated efforts and medical care from fire personnel and EMS. The hospitals in the surrounding area received more than 500 patients most of them being in various stages of respiratory distress. A number of the victims were pronounced dead on arrival at a local hospital located close to 2.5 miles from the accident. There were eight fatalities at the scene of the accident and one dying later as a result of inhalation of chlorine; 554 people were treated at the hospital with 75 being admitted. The damage to property was estimated to have been $6.9 million (National Transportation Safety Board, 2005). In order to decontaminate the area 5,400 households that resided within a mile of the site of the crash were forcibly evacuated for about two weeks. This gave space for the clean up crews together with Hazmat teams to do their work without disruptions.

Later in the day the officials were able to identify the cargo, monitor the concentration of gas levels and trail direction, made necessary adjustments to the evacuation zones as required and made shelters for the more than 5,000 displaced residents. Plans were also developed to account for both workers and residents from a fabric mill that is near the accident site. There was also a plan to ensure that the crash area is under safe patrol; photographs and videos of the taken and provided to railroad officials and the hazmat team. The plan was also to assist in finding a way to patch the car that leaked. Similarly a plan to have the dead bodies recovered was implemented.

The days that followed a vacant building near the staging area was chosen as the base for a Unified Command Centre. A member from each of the agencies was chosen as a representative to the center. In preparation for the days ahead the centre set the objectives and goals to aid the activities. These actions included investigation of the scene, safe removal of the damaged vehicles, cleaning the contaminated area, and the resettlement plan for the residents once the area is safe for occupation. On the ninth day the residents safely returned to their homes.

Throughout the event, there were news briefings and nightly town meetings in a neighboring university conducted by incident commanders. The people directly affected by the event got a chance to assist in the implementation of retrieval plans for the pets, inspection procedures for the homes while school officials were briefed concerning the reopening of two schools located in the affected zone. The local utility companies were also incorporated in the repair and thorough inspection of the equipments damaged at the site. In general the disaster claimed the life of nine people, eight dying on the clash site while one in the hospital due to respiratory distress. This low fatality rate came as a result of good preparation from the respondents. The disaster was handled successfully due to the well developed relationship among the emergency respondents.

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