photo by Robert Stewart: Emergency responders make sure the scene is secure and dilute anhydrous ammonia spilled from a ruptured valve in Utica on Nov. 21.

by Robert Stewart

    On Nov. 21 the Utica Volunteer Fire Department (VFD) responded to a call for an anhydrous ammonia spill on the corner of Seventh and D Streets in Utica.
     The spill occurred over the noon hour in the residential area of the village and VFDs from Tamora and Beaver Crossing were called in to assist. Representatives of the Red Cross and Civil Defense were also present on the scene.
     Utica VFD assistant fire chief Mike Fehlhafer said time of day and atmospheric conditions when the spill occurred helped to prevent the spill from causing too much damage.
     "There was a lot of things that were in our favor for making it less (damaging) than what it could have been," Fehlhafer said.
     Although two people were taken to the Seward hospital, both were treated and released.
     The anhydrous tank that caused the spill was being towed north down D Street when it came unhitched, hit the curb and tipped over. A valve on the tank broke off, resulting in part of the contents of the tank being released.
     "It wasn't an explosion it was a rupture. The tank itself was intact. It was the valve that took a direct hit," Fehlhafer said.
     Low wind at the time of the spill helped keep the chemical contained. But Fehlhafer said emergency responders checked houses in the surrounding area and evacuated those who were home at the time of the spill.
     "You have to control the scene," he said. "We went door to door throughout the neighborhood for a couple block radius."
     VFDs pumped water over the spilled contents of the tank to dilute and wash them away.
     "When we start pumping water on it, we do that to break it down farther," Fehlhafer said.
     Approximately 1,000 pounds of anhydrous ammonia was released, leaving between 5,000 and 6,000 pounds of anhydrous ammonia in the tank.
     A large forklift was brought in to right the tank and carry it out of town to the United Farmer's Cooperative (UFC), who owned the tank, where the remaining contents could be dealt with.
     "Once we had it righted and the pressure relieved they (UFC) were able to handle it from there with their own people," Fehlhafer said.
     The tank was transported from the site of the spill to the UFC east down U.S. Highway 34.
     "We went down the highway because that was the quickest way to get it out of town," Fehlhafer said.
     Members of emergency response teams stayed on the scene until 4:30 p.m., decontaminating houses by creating positive pressure with fans, airing out garages, where some fumes had collected, and making sure the area was secure.
     "We did do ventilation on a couple houses," Fehlhafer said.
     Fehlhafer said that in the nearly three decades he has worked with the VFD this is only the second or third anhydrous ammonia spill he has dealt with.