HAZMAT event in N.J.

http://hisz.rsoe.hu/alertmap/index.php?smp=&lang=eng


Area: USA, State of New Jersey, Schering-Plough, Kenilworth



A small release of phosgene gas at the Schering-Plough complex in Union Township sent nine employees to area hospitals this morning, said township Fire Chief Frederic Fretz. The accident happened around 11:30 a.m., when a vessel that contained phosgene gas became overpressurized, breaking a safety valve and releasing about 10 to 15 liters of the gas, Fretz said. Kean University, which sits across the complex of buildings on Morris Avenue, was not affected, Fretz said. Phosgene is a major industrial chemical used to make plastics and pesticides, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. The chemical was responsible for the large majority of deaths when used as a choking agent during World War I, according to the website. Two employees working in the immediate vicinity of the release were exposed to the vapors, Chief Fretz said. The rest was vented outside, where several other employees came into contact with it. In all, nine employees were taken to hospitals as a precaution, five to Trinitas and four Overlook, said Fretz. Fretz classified today's events as a incident minor. Officials did not believe the incident posed any health hazard to the surrounding community. "The safety of our colleagues and surrounding communities has been and will remain our highest priority," Schering-Plough said in a statement. "We are continuing to investigate the cause of the incident and are not in a position to offer further details about the incident or medical status of affected employees at this time."
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