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

Student Text IAFF Training for Hazardous Materials: Technician©
Manhattan HazMat Incident
By James J. Fay
Manhattan Case Study Activity 2
NYPD First Precinct Detectives and FDNY Fire Marshals initiated an investigation into how 800
pounds of highly explosive, highly toxic material were delivered to the doorstep of a lower
Manhattan retail establishment.
On Sunday, November 26, at about 1515 EST, an initial response of NYPD Emergency Service
Units from ESU #1 and FDNY’s First Battalion, responded to 365 Canal Street, at West Broadway,
within the boundaries of NYC’s Soho District. The establishment, “American Liquidators”
is a common type of retail store for the area, dealing in large quantities of electrical parts, army
surplus, and other items, piled on shelves and in bins throughout the store. The store personnel
reported to arriving units that the four 33-gallon drums were delivered three days prior on Thursday,
November 23, and left inside near the front door of the store. They also told police that they
did not order the product from any vendor, but were not initially concerned because of the high
volume of deliveries to the store.
Emergency personnel established from external markings on the drums that the containers held
what was best described as “aluminum powder.” With that information, NYC*EMS transmitted
a ‘10-48’ haz-mat incident code, establishing a command post and the response of numerous
BLS and Special Operations Division Units. Additional NYPD Emergency Service Units responded,
as well as the Police Bomb Squad and the FDNY Haz-Mat Company.
The normally gridlocked traffic in the area was made worse by the emergency equipment, necessitating
response patterns being transmitted from the scene to incoming units.
The FD established its command post in its Haz-Mat unit, researching the source of the product
back to its manufacturer via cell phone. The manufacturer acknowledged it was his product, but
had no information or knowledge of a delivery to that store. Haz-Mat also determined that this
aluminum powder was highly toxic to the skin and reacted with an explosion when it came in
contact with water or other chemicals. All non-emergency personnel were instructed to remain
150 feet from the product.
A NYC Department of Environmental Protection chemist arrived on the scene and requested that
samples be taken from each drum. During this procedure, FDNY Haz-Mat fire fighters needed
to change their half-hour SCBA bottles at least once while opening the tight drums and taking
samples.
A Fire Department unit equipped with “over-pack” drums responded to remove the material to a
private vendor for proper disposal.
Module 9: Control Techniques 9-77