Hazmat Called to Austintown Business

[yfdgricker]

Hazmat Called to Austintown Business
Story from the WKBN TV27 Web Site on 1/30/2011

Hazmat responds to a potentially dangerous situation in Austintown.

Hazmat and fire crews were called to Main Steel on Hendricks Road, that's the old Wean United building, on Saturday morning.  Officials say the company was dumping aluminum oxide into a hopper and when it mixed with the fresh snow, it created a cloud of gas.

Everyone within a two-mile radius of the scene was evacuated for several hours.  However, the area is all industrial, so no homes were affected.

Crews shoveled dirt into the hopper to prevent any further leaks.

Fortunately, no one was injured.

[Truck11]

Thats a nice looking rig! A big mistake on the company's part for having the aluminum oxide mixing with the snow, anyone know what kind of gas that would produce? 

[daysleeper47]

I have no idea what gas would have been created. According to a mining website I found, "Aluminum oxide is one of the safer compounds in existence today. It is not a fire hazard, and does not react with water. It might cause some irritation when it comes to contact with the skin, but that rarely occurs as it is. It is not carcinogenic, and it is stable under normal conditions of temperature and pressure. Conclusively speaking it is not a health hazard."

So... I have no idea.

[yfdgricker]

The Mahoning County Haz Mat rig was delivered in the summer of 2010. I was suppose to photograph it but winter came to quick. Hopefully, I'll be able to do a photo shoot this spring.

[Truck11]

The powder was probably warm and made steam.... Probably made a big deal out of nothing, maybe.

[vjc]

HEY i think the YOUNGSTOWN FIRE DEPT should have there own hazmat team like for exp THE YOUNGSTOWN FIRE DEPT HAZMAT TEAM!!!!!! i thank it has a nice ring to it. and i have talket to people saying that youngstowns dept should have there own hazmat team and they agree 100% with me. Hey i think they could do it i would like to talk with chief john O'Neil and give him some ideas like there trucks should carry some hazmat equipment like the kits or meters or charts.

Youngstown i thank you guys are doing a great job of fighting fires.