Quick response prevents fallout from toxic spill
Published on March 21st, 2001
STONEHAM, MA - A chemical spill on Fallon road sent nine people to the hospital last Wednesday night.
Two liters of pyridine liquid, a highly flammable, toxic substance, spilled onto the floor of the Airborne Express garage at 200 Fallon Road. A worker at the delivery company dropped a package containing four two-liter vials of pyridine, and two broke.
The package was heading from Minnesota to Woburn. Pyridine, according to a Cal Tech web site, has something to do with increasing viscosity. Fire Captain Jim McLaughlin and a spokesman for Clean Harbors, the private clean-up contractor called in to dispose of the pyridine, did not know anything about the chemical other than its flammable and toxic nature.
Four Airborne Express workers and five members of the emergency response team from Action Ambulance checked into the emergency room at Winchester Hospital last Wednesday, complaining of trouble breathing and swallowing.
Everyone but one of the Airborne Express employees was treated and released Wednesday night. The employee kept over night was released the next day.
After finding out about the spill, Captain McLaughlin notified the regional Hazardous Materials unit. This team used its computers and equipment to identify the material. Then Stoneham firefighters wearing oxygen masks placed some “speedy dry” absorbent material on the spill to contain it. And finally, a Clean Harbors crew removed the spill at 1:30 a.m. for disposal in a hazardous waste site.
While Stoneham Fire responded to the spill Winchester and Reading Fire covered Stoneham’s calls.
In other fire dept. news:
Toady the dog was saved by Stoneham firefighters last week after the four-legged Woodland Road resident fell into an 18-foot uncovered sewer on the old BRMC property. The dog is all right.
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