Safety & Health

Maine Firefighters Vent Fumes at Treatment Plant

Sept. 7, 2011

-- Sept. 06--PORTLAND -- Portland firefighters vented the last of the fumes from an accidental chemical reaction at the Portland Wastewater Treatment Plant late this afteroon. Two chemicals, sodium bisulfite and sodium hypochlorite -- about 500 gallons altogether -- were mistakenly mixed in a 2,500-gallon plastic tank early this morning. The combination created a chemical reaction that gave off heat and could have created explosive pressure, if not for the containment tank's safety features.

Source Portland Press Herald, Maine

Sept. 06--PORTLAND -- Portland firefighters vented the last of the fumes from an accidental chemical reaction at the Portland Wastewater Treatment Plant late this afteroon.

Two chemicals, sodium bisulfite and sodium hypochlorite -- about 500 gallons altogether -- were mistakenly mixed in a 2,500-gallon plastic tank early this morning.

The combination created a chemical reaction that gave off heat and could have created explosive pressure, if not for the containment tank's safety features.

The 11 workers who had been evacuated from the building at around 7:30 this morning were allowed back into the building around 4 p.m. to retrieve their belongings from the second and third floors so they could go home.

The East End Trail, which had been closed for the day, was expected to be reopened this evening.