Updated at 1:35 Substance Identified - Dothan Fire Haz Mat Operation At Flying J

Rickey Stokes

Viewed: 5919

Posted by: RStokes
thehoustonnewspaper@yahoo.com
334-790-1729
Date: Jul 24 2010 10:42 AM

DOTHAN:  Dothan Fire Haz Mat is on the scene of Flying J.

The Haz Mat is a large amount of powder on the ground from the back of pickup truck. The diesel fuel area has been closed.

Dothan Fire does not know what the powder is at this time. Working to determine.

A Haz Mat Level 2 incident.

Update at 11:54: - The Haz Mat team has tested a sample of the substance and the tests indicate that it is not biological in nature.

Update at 12:00pm

Two employees that had attempted to clean the powder up had to be decontaminated and taken to the hospital for a check up by a doctor. The powder has yet to be identified by hazmat.

 Update at 12:30 - The substance has tested positive for Calcium Hydroxide.

Updated at 1:35 - The Dothan Fire Department Haz-Mat team has identified the substance and isolated it. According to Dothan Fire Department Battalion Chief H.B. Knight, the powder is calcium hydroxide. He characterized it as a mild irritant. The two employees that were sent to the hospital are fine, said Knight.

The two employees were cleaning up the parking lot this morning when the powder was discovered. It was swept up and placed in a plastic bin along with other trash that had been swept up. A short time later, the bin appeared to be melting. At that point, 911 was called and the Haz-Mat team was dispatched.

Upon arrival, fire fighters decontaminated the two that had been exposed to the powder and had them transported to the hospital to be checked out (they are O.K.).

It is thought that the substance leaked from the back of a tractor last night. One driver is reported to have seen the powder late last night. Chief Knight said that it would almost impossible to locate the leaking trailer as by now, it could be in Atlanta, Tampa, or another location.

 (Note to Blake: You can update your story now!)

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