WCAX.COM Local Vermont News, Weather and Sports-Hazmat Scare Sparks Evacuations

Hazmat Scare Sparks Evacuations

Ascutney, Vermont - November 21, 2005

Emergency officials responded to an early morning accident Monday. A truck carrying hazardous materials rolled over on Interstate-91 in Ascutney.

"When they approached the scene they noticed it was starting to either smoke, or vapors were emitted from it," explained Weathersfield Emergency Management Director Michael Thomas.

Very little of the chemicals spilled onto the highway. But the mixture of those chemicals inside the truck would have been a recipe for disaster.

"Two of the chemicals certainly had the potential to offer a dangerous reactivity," said Chief Chris Herrick of the Vt. Hazmat Team.

The accident closed the interstate for hours while crews worked to secure the scene. Firefighters also knocked on doors of area residents, asking anyone within a one-mile radius to leave their homes. Those evacuated were told to go to the Weathersfield Elementary School in Perkinsville. Residents say they were just told to leave their homes and weren't really sure what was going on.

"I guess it was a volunteer firefighter that knocked on the door. He didn't know. And I came in here and they don't seem to know either," said evacuee Michael Cohen.

"Nobody really knows what the chemical was, they just said it was a bad accident," said another evacuee, Herbert Garey.

The hazmat team determined one of the potentially dangerous materials was sodium persulfate. They were able to remove it from the truck, reducing the risk of an explosion or rapid fire.

"Basically what we had was a flammable and an oxidizer and if they decided to get together, the fire chief's exactly right, it would have been a pretty bad situation," said Herrick.

A situation, officials say could have resulted in the release of a toxic chemical fire plume throughout the area.

Nicole Oliverio - Channel 3 News