Toxic chemical is spilled as truck punctures drum

A fork truck punctured a drum yesterday at ChemDesign Corp. and about 50 gallons of monoethylamine spilled out onto a pad designed with a collection area for such incidents, company officials said.

Nobody was injured, according to the company and the Fire Department.

The flammable chemical is slightly toxic and corrosive. It is used in chemical processing, said David P. Thompson, health, environment and safety manager.

The truck was going to pick up a shrink-wrapped pallet holding drums at the time, he said. Officials do not know how the accident occurred, but a seasoned driver was driving the truck.

The Fire Department set up at the scene as a preventive measure, because metal drums had to be moved and there was potential for a spark or ignition, said Deputy Fire Chief Michael C. Spano.

Other flammable chemicals were on the pad as well at the time, he said.

“It was fairly uneventful,” Deputy Chief Spano said. “They know their stuff up there.”

The spill was reported to the Fire Department at 12:40 p.m.