Yuma firefighters respond to chemical spill

A special disposal team was called in from California to remove hazardous waste that was discovered and contained Tuesday afternoon by Yuma firefighters.

Fire Inspector Kayla Holiman said the Yuma Fire Department responded to a medical call at 2130 W. 24th Street shortly before 1:00 p.m. While they were on scene, she said firefighters noticed an unknown substance leaking from a the trailer of a semi truck that was parked in the same parking lot.

Holiman said a YFD Engine Company was called to the scene and found that a 270-gallon tote container was leaking a unknown corrosive liquid.

The YFD's Hazardous Materials Team then responded and contacted CHEMTREC (a national chemical data base for emergency response procedures). The liquid was later identified as sodium potassium carbonate, which is a cleaning solution.

“It poses an inhalation and absorption hazard,” Holiman said. “It is also corrosive to metal.”

Holiman said the shipper of the product was also contacted, and a plan was formed on how to control and contain the product, with the HAZMAT Team carrying out the plan.

“We stopped the leak and contained the spill,” Holiman said. “But what we don't have, is the means to dispose of the waste.”

As part of the clean-up, the shipping company hired the disposal team to come to remove the hazardous liquid material. Holiman said no one was injured in the incident and that the spill did not pose any danger to the public.

James Gilbert can be reached at jgilbert@yumasun.com or 539-6854.