Hazmat called to spill in Petrolia
PETROLIA — Butler County Hazardous Materials Team 100 was called to the scene of a chemical spill along Route 268 in Petrolia Tuesday afternoon.
Around 3:20 p.m. emergency crews responded to a reported chemical spill along Argyle Street, commonly known as Route 268, in the area of the borough.
According to Scott Hoffman, chief of Team 100, a call from a worker at one of the plants indicated that a truck was disposing of an unknown chemical.
When emergency crews arrived they found an estimated 40 to 60 gallons of an unknown chemical about six feet off the road in a turnaround.
“Someone had said they saw a truck here yesterday releasing some sort of liquid,” Hoffman said. “No one called me.”
Hoffman and Team 100 could not pinpoint exactly what the chemical was. The truck was not at the scene when emergency responders arrived.
“We really don't know much,” Hoffman said. “We're just going to try and keep it contained and keep it from getting on the road way. It's not posing any type of environmental risk or hazard, right now. With that, we're going to scoop up what we can.”
He noted that one of the local contractors is going to bring gravel or sand to put on top of the chemical after crews scoop a majority of it off the turnaround.
Chuck Barnes, Petrolia Fire Department Chief, said that the unknown chemical is not a product created by any of the three chemical plants in the area.
Crews are currently unsure what the chemical is. They say it is not flammable, but it is slightly acidic. Emergency responders said they are unsure of what to do with it at this time.
Cleanup up the chemical spill by the hazmat team started at 5 p.m. Shortly after, a heavy rain fell on the chemical, causing it to solidify.
Crews were still able to shovel the chemical off the ground.
