August 15, 2011 - Cedar Rapids, IA - Nearly 200 gallons of dangerous hydrochloric acid leaked from a truck at the Cargill corn-milling plant on Tuesday, August 9.
KWQC News 6 reports that the truck was delivering the corrosive substance to the plant's storage tank, around 7:20 a.m., when the leak occurred. Cedar Rapids Fire Department was called to the scene to help contain the leak by installing a cap at the intake valve.
Cargill workers built a dike to attempt to contain the acid to the immediate area and prevent further damage. Soda ash was applied by firefighters to neutralize the acid and stop the spill from endangering the rest of the delivery area.
A spokeswoman from Cargill, Nicole Reichert, said that they are investigating the cause of the leak, which happened at the intake valve. The truck company that made the delivery is being questioned at this time.
While this incident ended without injury, working with hazardous chemicals such as hydrochloric acid can create many health and safety risks to employees at plants such as these. It is important that your employer follows the OSHA standards for chemical safety and accident prevention to avoid the risk of serious work injuries.
As a service to our clients we frequently publish current news events in the central Iowa area that deal with personal injury and safety. We do this to raise awareness of the types of events that have the potential to create accidents which may cause serious injury or death. We hope that through education and awareness, we can help our clients avoid becoming injured from these situations.
If you or a loved one has been named in this blog and you would like the information removed, please contact us immediately to fulfill your request.
Posted on Aug 15, 2011