Monday, March 27, 2023

Another day, another hazardous substance spill - oops, 2 more

One by train derailment. 
Several cars on a Canadian Pacific freight train derailed in North Dakota late Sunday, spilling hazardous material in the area, the railway said.

Some of 31 rail cars involved were carrying hazardous materials, and an initial assessment found a liquid asphalt leak at the derailment site in rural Richland County, southeast of Wyndmere.

[...]

The railway’s emergency response teams and hazardous materials experts are on site with local first responders to conduct a “full assessment.” No injuries or fire has been reported, and there is no threat from the leak to waterways or public safety, according to Canadian Pacific.

  The Hill
Well, they would say that, wouldn't they?
Philadelphia officials say the city’s water supply is safe after a chemical spill in a tributary of the Delaware River over the weekend.

[...]

More than 8,000 gallons of chemicals used in latex finishing spilled into the tributary Saturday night [believed due to a burst pipe at a plant], prompting officials to warn residents and suggest they use bottled water instead of tap.

[...]

The Philadelphia Water Department announced Sunday that it’s “now confident” tap water from the Baxter Drinking Water Treatment Plant will remain safe to drink at least through 11:59 p.m. Monday.

“This updated time is based on the time it will take river water that entered the Baxter intakes early Sunday morning to move through treatment and water mains before reaching customers,” the department said.

  The Hill
After that, are they on their own?
Officials said the earlier warning was issued “out of an abundance of caution” and that testing has “not shown the presence of water impacted by the spill in the Baxter system at this time.”
Yeah. Would you?

And, yikes. A chocolate factory exploded.
All seven bodies have been recovered from the site of a powerful explosion [that occurred just before 5 p.m. Friday] at a chocolate factory in a small town in eastern Pennsylvania, officials said.

[...]

Rescue crews had been using heat imaging equipment and dogs to search for possible survivors after the blast destroyed one building and damaged a neighboring building.

[...]

Officials said they had no update on the condition of a woman pulled alive from the rubble early Saturday. Kaag said she had apparently been on the second floor and was found in a “hopeful circumstance,” calling out to rescuers despite her injuries after a dog located her.

Officials also reported no updates on the conditions of those taken to hospitals. Reading Hospital said it received 10 patients and transferred two to other facilities.

[...]

[R]rescue crews had been working 12- to 16-hour shifts.

[...]

State and local fire investigators are continuing to examine the scene to try to determine the cause of the blast.

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