Module 9: Control Techniques - International Association of Fire ...

IAFF Training for Hazardous Materials: Technician©
Student Text
The Rohm Haas hazmat team responded to the scene to assist Osceola County with the extinguishment
and cleanup of the chemical. Once on the scene, the Rohm Haas team fired the
cleanup company initially under contract with them and received permission to hire a company
with the proper capabilities to deal with a spill of this magnitude. This was a day-long process.
By this time, the fire had burned for three days with no end in sight and SR 192 remained closed.
The next plan for extinguishment included dumping two 450-pound cylinders of carbon dioxide
into the box. This was done on the fourth night. Although the intensity of the smoke decreased,
it was obvious that the fire continued to burn. The final plan was to flow water nonstop into the
trailer until the fire went out. After thousands of gallons, the fire was finally extinguished.
Runoff gathered in the roadside canal and marsh area.
The trailer was eventually towed to a yard in Tampa, where the remaining material was offloaded
and disposed of. The contaminated soil was, for the most part, excavated and disposed of.
(It was reported that at least 29 tractor-trailer dirt haulers were used.) Even now, several months
after the incident, the vegetation in the area is dead or dying, with the accident site plainly visible
from the road.
The fire burned for a total of five days, and SR 192 remained closed for six days. The long-term
effects from possible exposure to the smoke have not been determined. Reference materials
indicate that combustion of this material gives off toxic levels of hydrogen sulfide, carbon disulfide,
sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxides, and carbon oxides.
9-104 Module 9: Control Techniques