Chemical leak sends WMFD into action

Chemical leak sends WMFD into action

HazMat unit on the scene, drone scopes out threat at old plant

news@theeveningtimes.com The clear blue skies were a welcome sight on Thursday afternoon after a week of snow an ice. Then out of the blue, an alarm call from a chemical plant closed for 10 years rang at the West Memphis Fire Department, sending the department and their hazardous materials response team into action.

The alarm sounded during the lunch hour around 12:30 p.m. The old Diaz chemical plant at 301 Wyanoke St., near the Port of West Memphis in the southeastern tip of the city, spewed a brownish-red cloud seen by responders as they arrived.

The fire department used forecast data from the National Weather Service to determine a limited area that might be impacted by gas drift and ordered a precautionary evacuation of five adjacent businesses for much of the afternoon.

Based on the forecast, fire officials determined no other area of West Memphis was in danger, though the cloud had been seen by many. After containment efforts were put into place, the neighboring businesses were given the “all clear,” and employees returned to work a short while later.

Firefighters kept at a distance as department deployed its camera equipped drone to help access the situation. The photos from the fly-over survey provided information about the leaking tank. The drone, which was acquired last summer specifically in hopes it would help in just such a situation, was up to the task. West Memphis’s unmanned aerial unit was the first one in fire service in the state of Arkansas.

The drone discovered an old tank found to be leaking bromine. An estimated 15 gallons of the toxic chemical, often used in insecticides, pharmaceuticals and agriculture, formed the ominous cloud.

The initial investigation indicated a government agency and a chemical disposal contractor were conducting a clean-up of the mothballed plant on Thursday.

The contractor had been removing old tanks. The property owners were conducting a clean-up along with United States Environmental Services providing oversight.

West Memphis Assistant Fire Chief Jeff Jones reassured the public that no one was at risk. Jones also extended thanks to a handful of other responding agencies and contractors for their team effort.

“At all times during the situation, the West Memphis Fire Department, Crittenden County Emergency Manager Bud Spears, The National Weather Service of Memphis, and the Arkansas Department of Environmental Management monitored all aspects of the leak, assuring public safety,” said Jones.

Jones also offered kudos to Tetra Chemical Company, the West Memphis Police Department and U.S. Environmental services for assistance

on the scene and

help provided.

Ultimately, the Fire Department declared the area clear and left the scene in the hands of a hazardous materials remediation company.

By John Rech