Birmingham Water Works spokesman on chemical spill at Hwy 280 treatment plant Share Shares Copy Link Copy Hide Transcript Show Transcript WEBVTT WERE -- WAS THERE AN EXPLOSION? >> WHAT YOU HAVE IS A MIXTURE OF TWO CHEMICALS. WE HAVE SODIUM CHLORIDE WHICH IS DILUTED BLEACH AND ERIC SULFATE. WE USE THESE CHEMICALS TO TREAT OUR WATER. THEY ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE MIXED TOGETHER SO THERE WAS SOME INTERNAL CONFLICT THAT HAPPENED WHICH CAUSED AN OFFSET GAS TO BE RELEASED. WE DID HAVE TRANSPORT SEVERAL PEOPLE TO LOCAL HOSPITALS AS A PRECAUTION. AS FOR THE WATER, THERE IS NO THREAT TO THE WATER SO YOU CAN CONTINUE TO USE WATER. WE HAVE NOT ISSUED A WATER ALERT . WE ARE WORKING WITH DIFFERENT MUNICIPALITIES BY BIRMINGHAM FIRE AND RESCUE ALONG WITH THE DIFFERENT POLICE MUNICIPALITIES BECAUSE WE ARE MONITORING THE AIR FOR THE OFF GAS SOLUTION THAT HAS BEEN RELEASED. THERE IS NO IMMEDIATE DANGER THREAT SO WE DO NOT WANT TO CAUSE A PANIC BUT WE HAVE A SITUATION UNDER CONTROL. HAZMAT IS ON THE GROUND ALONG WITH OUR PROFESSIONALS SO MAKE SURE THE SITUATION STAYS RECTIFIED. THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT REACTION FOR THE MOST PART IS BEING CONTAINED INSIDE THAT BUILDING. WE ARE WORKING TO MAKE SURE IT STAYS THAT WAY. IF YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE OUTSIDE NOW, STAY INSIDE. THERE IS NO IMMEDIATE DANGER. SOME PEOPLE SUFFER FROM RESPIRATORY ISSUES THAT COULD UPSET SOMETHING. THERE IS NO IMMEDIATE DANGER. >> THE CHEMICALS SHOULD NOT BE MIXED. HOW DID THAT HAPPEN? >> OUR PRIORITY IS TO MAKE SURE OUR CUSTOMERS ARE SAFE AND THOSE ARE BEING INVESTIGATED NOW. HAS ANYTHING HAPPENED LIKE THIS BEFORE? NOT RECENT. ANYTIME YOU ARE TREATING WATER, THERE ARE A LOT OF STEPS. WE HAVE OUR EMPLOYEES DOING IT ALONG WITH SEVERAL CONTRACTORS, SO ANYTIME YOU HAVE PEOPLE OPERATING ANYTHING, IT LEAVES ROOM FOR ERROR EVEN WITH PROFESSIONALS. ACCIDENTS HAPPEN. WE ARE NOT SURE WHAT CAUSED THIS BUT A MIXTURE OF THOSE TWO COMPONENTS CAUSED AN OFFSET GAS. WE DO NOT HAVE AN UPDATE ON THEIR CONDITION. PRELIMINARY, IT WAS NOT LIFE-THREATENING. WE HAVE CONTRACTORS HERE ALL THE TIME WORKING. WE ARE UNDERGOING A MAJOR RENOVATION SO AS A PRECAUTION WE ARE MAKING SURE EVERYBODY IS SAFE AND THAT IS WHY WE ARE HAVING SO MANY PEOPLE TRANSPORTED. WE HAVE THE SITUATION UNDER CONTROL. HAZMAT IS ON THE GROUNDS. >> YOU MENTIONED THE WATER WAS SAFE. HOW ARE THEY ABLE TO TREAT THE WATER? >> WE HAVE SEVERAL TREATMENT PLANTS. IN CASE ONE HAS TO BE SHUT DOWN, WE HAVE SEVERAL BACKUPS. POLICE KNOW THE WATER HAS NOT BEEN CONTAMINATED SO THERE IS NO REASON TO SHUT DOWN ANYTHING. THE ONLY THING WE’RE DOING NOW IS MAKING SURE THE OFFSET GAS BEING PROPERLY DILUTED. >> WALK US THROUGH THE NUMBERS. HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE BEEN TRANSPORTED, BEGINNING WITH THE FIRST SET TO THIS NEW SET? >> INITIALLY 15 PEOPLE, ONE INCLUDING AN EMPLOYEE AND THE REST BETWEEN 35-40 HAVE BEEN TRANSPORTED TO LOCAL HOSPITALS TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING IS OK. >> HOW WOULD YOU SUMMARIZE SITUATION? >> IT SPEAKS TO THE PROFESSIONALS BEHIND IT, NOT ONLY BIRMINGHAM WATERWORKS. WE DO THIS EVERY DAY. OUR FIRST RESPONDERS, THEY ARE TRAINED TO DO THIS TYPE OF THING SO YOU WILL SEE THE LIGHTS AND THE SIRENS BUT THIS IS WHAT WE ARE TRAINED TO DO TO HANDLE THE SITUATIONS LIKE THIS. WE HAVE INTERNAL TRAINING WITH OUR EMPLOYEES JUST IN CASE SOMETHING LIKE THIS HAPPENS. WE DO NOT HAVE A PANIC ON OUR SIDE BUT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE OUR CUSTOMERS SHARE THAT SAME SENTIMENT. >> SPEAKING OF GIVING PEOPLE PEACE OF MIND, WHAT DO YOU WANT TO SAY? >> WE APPRECIATE YOUR PATIENCE. ACCIDENTS HAPPEN EVEN WITH THE BEST. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THIS IS NOT SOMETHING WE ARE TAKING LIGHTLY OF WE HAVE THE SITUATION UNDER CONTROL. OUR MAIN MISSION IS WE WANT THE PUBLIC TO KNOW WE HAVE THE SITUATION UNDER CONTROL AND WE ARE MAKING SURE ALL AVENUES ARE CROSSED AND CLEARED BEFORE WE SMITH’S -- DISMISS. WE WANT TO THANK OUR CUSTOMERS FOR STANDING WITH US THROUGH THIS. WE ARE NOT SURE WHAT HAPPENED. WE KNOW THOSE CHEMICALS WERE MIXED AND THEY WERE NOT SUPPOSED TO BUT AS FAR AS THE WATER SUPPLY, IT IS STILL SAFE AND READY TO USE. >> YOU ARE ASKING TRAFFIC? WORKING WITH HOME WHEN POLICE NOW AS A PRECAUTION, THEY HAVE SUCKED DOWN AN AREA OF HIGHWAY 280 TO LAKESHORE AND THAT IS FOR AIR MONITORING. NOT TO SAY PEOPLE ARE BEING EVACUATED BUT THEY WANT TO MAKE SURE THE AIR IS GOOD AND CLEAN FOR PEOPLE TO BREATHE. WE HAVE CHURCHES, DAY CARES, THAT SORT OF THING. EVERYBODY IS DOING THEIR PART. >> CLARIFY, IS THE AIR SAFETY BRIEF? >> AS OF NOW, YES. WE DO NOT HAVE ANY REASON TO COME OUT AND SAY IT IS A DANGER. THEN AGAIN, IT IS NOT JUST BIRMINGHAM WATERWORKS. WE ARE WORKING WITH SEVERAL AGENCIES AND IF THERE IS A POINT WHEN WE HAVE TO EVACUATE OR CLEAR OFF THE PERIMETER, WE WANT TO LET YOU KNOW. >> DID THIS HAPPEN IN OR NEAR CHLORINE TANKS? >> IT WAS A MIXTURE OF THAT WHICH SUBSTANCE WITH THE SULFATE. >> DO YOU KNOW IF 280 WILL BE OPEN ONCE AIR QUALITY CONTROL TESTS COME BACK CLEAR? >> ABSOLUTELY. THEY ARE TEMPORARILY SHUTTING DOWN TO MONITOR THE AIR CONTROL TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING IS SAFE. OF COURSE AS SOON AS EVERYTHING IS CLEAR, THIS AREA WILL BE BACK OPEN. >> I AM RECEIVING REPORTS OF A DOCTOR’S OFFICE BEING EVACUATED. IS THAT RELATED TO THIS? >> I CANNOT CONFIRM THAT. >> ANY IDEA HOW LONG THIS SHELTER IN PLACE WILL LAST? AS THE PEOPLE TO STAY IN THEIR HOMES? >> WE ARE NOT REALLY ASKING PEOPLE TO STAY IN THEIR HOMES. PEOPLE HAVE DIFFERENT RESPIRATORY ISSUES. IT IS THAT TIME OF YEAR. I AM STUFFY MYSELF. IF YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE OUTSIDE, IT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA TO STAY INSIDE. THERE IS NO DANGER SO WE ARE EVACUATING OR GIVING ANYONE STRICT ROLES -- RU GET LOCAL BREAKING NEWS ALERTS The latest breaking updates, delivered straight to your email inbox. Submit Privacy Notice<doc-sep>Hide Transcript Show Transcript WEBVTT BEGINNING WITH LARISSA SCOTT, WHO WAS AMONG THE FIRST AT THE SCEN LARISSA: JUST A LITTLE WHILE AGO THIS WAS AN ACTIVESYNC NUMEROUS FEVER -- AN ACTIVE SCENE WITH NUMEROUS EMERGENCY VEHICLES. A SPOKESPERSON WITH THE BIRMINGHAM WATER WORKS BOARD WHICH OPERATES THE FILTRATION PLANT TELLS US SODIUM HYPOCHLORITE, WHICH IS BASICALLY DILUTED BLEACH, AND FERR SULPHATE SOMEHOW MIXED TOGETHER. THAT MIX CAUSED A CHEMICAL REACTION AND A TOXIC GAS. THE FUMES, WHICH COULD BE SMELLED UP TO THREE MILES AWAY, SICKENED MORE THAN A DOZEN PEOPLE HERE AT THE PLANT. QUESTIONS OVER AIR QUALITY FORCED AUTHORITIES TO CLOSE HIGHWAY 280, WHICH RUNS BY THIS PLANT AND THEY ASKED NEARBY NEIGHBORS TO STAY INSIDE THEIR HOMES. VESTAVIA SCHOOLS AND HOOVER’S ROCKY RIDGE ELEMENTARY TEMPORARILY SHELTERED-IN-PLACE. BUT DESPITE THE SCARE, OFFICIALS WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW THERE WAS NO IMMEDIATE DANGER TO THE PUBLIC AND THE WATER WAS NEVER CONTAMINATED AND IS SAFE TO DRINK. >> WE HAVE SEVERAL WATER TREATMENT PLANTS, FOUR TO BE EXACT. SO JUT IN CASE ONE HAS TO BE SHUT DOWN FOR ANY IMMEDIATE REASON, WE HAVE SEVERAL BACK UPS. LARISSA: THE WATER WORKS BOARD TELLS US ITS EMPLOYEES ARE TRAINED FOR THROUGHOUT THE YEAR FOR SITUATIONS JUST LIKE THIS. NOW AN INVESTIGATION IS UNDERWAY TO FIGURE OUT HOW THIS SPECIAL HAPPENED IN THE FIRST PLACE. LIVE IN JEFFERSON COUNTY, LARISSA SCOTT, WVTM 13. SHERI: MORE THAN 50 PLANT WORKERS HAVE BEEN GETTING CHECKED OUT AT HOSPITALS BECAUSE OF THE CHEMICAL SCARE. GUY: AT LEAST 19 WENT TO UAB. THAT’S WHERE WE FIND WVTM13’S MARY O’CONNELL. SHE’S BEEN OUTSIDE THE HOSPITAL ALL DAY WAITING FOR UPDATE MARY: AT LAST CHECK, 13 OF THE 19 PEOPLE WHO CAME TO UAB HOSPITAL WERE EVALUATED, TREATED, AND RELEASED. WE WATCHED AS POLICE BLOCK OFF THE STREET SO AMBULANCES COULD GET IN EASILY. WE KNOW 50 TO 55 PEOPLE WERE TAKEN TO AREA HOSPITALS. 14 CONTRACTORS AT THE SITE AND ONE WATER WORKS EMPLOYEE WERE TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE ACCIDENT. OTHERS CAME AS A PRECAUTION. NO ONE HAD LIFE THREATENING INJURIES. FOR THIS TYPE OF CHEMICA EXPOSURE, DOCTORS TELL US PATIENTS COULD SEE BREATHING PROBLEMS, EYE IRRITATION, AND POSSIBLE SKIN BURN DOCTORS HERE AT UAB PLAN EXTENSIVELY THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AND DRILL OFTEN FOR SITUATIONS JUST LIKE THIS. DOCTORS SAY THEY WERE FULLY PREPARED TO HANDLE THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE WHO NEEDED HELP AFTER THE ACCIDENT. >> TODAY MAY SEEM LIKE A REALLY BIG DEAL TO A LOT OF FOLKS, BUT TO US, THIS IS REALLY JUST WEDNESDAY. THE DIFFERENCE TODAY IS THAT WE WERE DEALING WITH CHEMICAL EXPOSURES POSSIBLY AND WE DID DO SOME HAZARDOUS MATERIAL DECONTAMINATION. SO SOME FOLKS GOT A SHOWER ON THEIR WAY IN THE DOOR. MARY PATIENTS WERE ALSO TAKEN TO BROOKWOOD, GRANDVIEW, AND ST. VINCENT’S HOSPITAL. WHILE UAB COULDN’T DISCLOSE MUCH ON THE PATIENT’S TREATED, THEY SAY THEY WERE CALM AND EASY TO WORK WITH. MARY O’CONNELL, WVTM 13. GUY: DOZENS WHO LIVE NEAR THE GAS LEAK ARE GETTING BACK TO NORMAL AFTER SHELTERING IN PLACE THIS MORNING. SHERI: SOME REPORTED FEELING A SLIGHT BURNING IN THEIR THROAT. WVTM13’S JON PAEPCKE JOINS US FROM A HOME OVERLOOKING THE TREATMENT PLANT. JON, HOW STRONG WAS THE SMEL JON: THIS HOMEOWNER LIVES ABOUT A FOOTBALL FIELD FROM THE WATER TREATMENT PLANT. YOU CAN SEE THE WATER TANKS BEHIND ME. HE TELLS ME THE ODOR WAS STRONG ENOUGH TO MAKE HIS THROAT BURN AND CAUSED HIM TO LEAVE. TOM POWELL HAS LIVED JUST ABOVE THE PLANT FOR THE LAST TWO DECADES. HE SAYS HE FIRST SMELLED THE STRONG CHLORINE OR BLEACH ODOR STANDING IN HIS CARPORT AROUND 9:30 THIS MORNING. EMERGENCY CREWS BLOCKED OFF SEVERAL ROADS AROUND THE PLANT AND COMPLETELY CLOSED HIGHWAY 280 FOR MORE THAN AN HOUR. AN EVACUATION ORDER WAS NEVER ISSUED. AFTER INHALING THE VAPOR FROM HIS HOUSE, POWELL PICKED UP THE PHONE AND DIALED 911 TO SEE WHAT HE SHOULD DO. >> I ASKED, SHOULD I EVACUATE, AND THEY COULD NOT TELL ME THAT EITHER. SO I EVACUATED ON MY OWN. SO I PACKED UP MY TWO DOGS AND TWO CATS AND I LEFT. JON: WE CAUGHT A FEW WHIFFS OF THE CHLORINE SMELL FROM THE HILL HERE. IT WAS NEVER STRONG ENOUGH TO CAUSE US ANY PROBLEMS. THE JEFFERSON COUNTY EMA SENT AND ALL CLEAR FOR THIS AREA AROUND 1:00 THIS AFTERNOON. LIVE IN VESTAVIA HILLS, JON PAEPCKE, WVTM13. SHERI: WE WILL KEEP FOLLOWING THE INVESTIGATION INTO THE CHEMICAL SPILL AND ITS AFTERMATH. YOU CAN KEEP AN EYE ON ALL THE DEVELOPMENTS WITH THE WVTM Advertisement Chemical spill at Birmingham Water Works plant sends 50 to area hospitals Share Shares Copy Link Copy At least 50 people were sent to hospitals and a portion of Highway 280 was closed for more than two hours Wednesday after a chemical spill at the Birmingham Water Works' Shades Mountain filter plant.More than a dozen people are being treated for illness after apparently inhaling fumes created when two chemicals — sodium hypochlorite and ferric sulfate — were accidentally mixed. "We are making sure that everybody is safe. That's why we're having so many people transported," said BWW spokesman Rick Jackson.Jackson said there were no serious injuries and there is no threat to the public. He said the BWW water supply was not contaminated. Authorities said the drinking water supply was "never in any danger. "The BWW released a statement (read below) and said it will conduct a "full investigation" into the cause of the accident. "Birmingham Water Works (BWW) employees have contained a chemical accident that occurred this morning at the Shades Mountain Filter Plant after sodium hypochlorite and ferric sulfate were accidentally mixed. "In total, approximately 50 to 55 people have been transported to area hospitals, but none have sustained any life-threatening injuries. Fourteen contractors working at the site and one Birmingham Water Works employee, were taken to area hospitals immediately after the accident, with additional people taken for precautionary evaluation. "At this time, there is no threat to the health and safety of the public, and the water supply has not been contaminated. The chemicals have been contained to the building at the facility where the accident occurred.“The safety of the public and our employees is our top priority. Our employees and first responders are trained to act swiftly and decisively in the event of any accident, and they have responded precisely per our emergency plan to contain the accident,” said Rick Jackson, PR Specialist and Spokesperson for the Birmingham Water Works. "As part of its emergency response plan, the Birmingham Water Works is working in conjunction with fire and police departments in Birmingham, Homewood, and Mountain Brook as well as area hospitals, to ensure the safety of employees and residents in the vicinity of the plant. "The BWW will conduct a full investigation to determine why the accident occured, but it has not been determined why the chemicals were mixed at this time. "Shortly after the incident, fire and EMA officials urged local residents to shelter in place and authorities closed the busy highway in both directions from Shades Creek Parkway to Dolly Ridge Road.Birmingham fire crews took air samples in various locations around the plant to make sure it was safe before giving the green light for law enforcement to reopen Hwy. 280 around 12:30 p.m.Vestavia Hills Fire Department and several other fire departments assisted Birmingham firefighters at the scene. Here's the statement from Birmingham Fire and Rescue:"At around 0900 this morning, BFRS was called for a hazmat release at the Shades Mountain Water Treatment facility on Hwy 280 at Shades Crest Rd. Several workers on site reported having difficulty breathing. "Ultimately 3's Hazmat, 30's Hazmat, 12's Decon, 13's Decon, a multitude of ALS transport units, chiefs, and staff personnel responded to the incident. Neighboring departments including Vestavia Hills, Rocky Ridge, Mountain Brook, and Cahaba Valley responded along with Jefferson County EMA and OSHA. Crews determined that there had been a release of ferric sulfate and sodium hypochlorite, which mixed and was releasing noxious fumes. Both of these chemicals are normally on site at the water treatment facility and are used in the water treatment process.<doc-sep>More than three dozen people were hospitalized Wednesday following a chemical spill at a water utility company in Alabama. The Vestavia Fire Department said it believes chlorine escaped into the air at the Birmingham Water Works and it is working to contain it. Between 35 and 40 people were taken to the hospital out of precaution, Battalion Chief Sebastian Carrillo with the Birmingham Fire & Rescue said during a press conference. An additional 14 people had already been hospitalized earlier in the day, he said. The Mountain Brook Police Department, however, said in a series of tweets that it believes two chemicals, sodium hypochlorite and ferric sulfate, spilled inside the building. The chemicals are used to treat water at the company, officials said. Carrillo said they are trying to determine if fumes escaped the building, but are urging residents to avoid the area and seek shelter in their homes. Officials said the water supply is safe to use. Exposure to the fumes can lead to nausea, sneezing, headache, nose irritation and a burning sensation in the throat, police said.<doc-sep>
Toxic gas at a water treatment plant in Alabama sent dozens of people to the hospital Wednesday morning. A chemical spill caused sodium hypochlorite to mix with ferric sulfate at a Birmingham Water Works treatment plant near Highway 280, AL.com reported. Both chemicals are used to treat water separately. When combined, they create a toxic gas. Fourteen workers complained of respiratory issues after the spill and were taken to the hospital. Another 40 were taken to the hospital as a precaution. The highway was closed temporarily and residents were cautioned to stay inside as officials tested the air quality. Battalion Chief Sebastian Carrillo of the Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service told AL.com the gas is not considered to be a danger to residents. FATHER OF WOMAN WHO JOINED ISIS SUES TRUMP ADMINISTRATION, SEEKING DAUGHTER'S RETURN TO US Birmingham Water Works spokesman Rick Jackson confirmed the drinking water was not affected by the spill. “We’re still investigating how the chemicals got mixed. We appreciate your patience. We have this under control but we’re not taking it lightly," Jackson said. The Birmingham Water Works treatment plant is the state’s largest, according to WBHM, and was in the midst of a major renovation. ALABAMA NEWSPAPER EDITOR CENSURED AFTER COLUMN CALLED FOR KKK TO 'CLEAN OUT DC' Mountain Brook Police warned about the effects of chlorine gas exposure on Twitter. “Some of the effects people can experience from being exposed to chlorine gas are sneezing, nose irritation, burning sensation and throat irritation, nausea, vomiting or a headache. People may also experience skin irritation or chemical burns and eye irritation,” the department tweeted.