by Steven Norris
Published: Wed, April 02, 2008 - 2:32 pm CST
Mobile Fire-Rescue's Hazardous Materials team has been handling a potentially dangerous situation at Ashland Inc. on Western Drive. Staff at Ashland noticed that a single barrel of hazardous waste was bulging and coated with moisture. The moisture was caused by hydrogen gas, a byproduct of zinc and a component of rocket fuel. It's highly explosive and extremely flammable, so haz mat crews were called in to help. Around 3:30 pm, Two rescuers were sent to the tank with a device to drill a hole in the barrel and release some of the pressure. Several other firefighters were on standby with hoses in case a fire is sparked. Hydrogen flames escape rapidly, and are difficult to see - making them difficult to extinguish. Jim Vitak, a spokesperson for Ashland Inc. says that crews were able to handle the situation quickly and efficiently and that no injuries have been reported. An area on Western Drive from Shell Street to Cotton Street had to be evacuated. There are mostly businesses on this stretch of road, but there are a few homes. U.S. Environmental, an outside contract company helped by putting a protective barrel over the hazardous barrel to contain the hydrogen gas as they drill a hole.
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