Pocono News Section

Monroe County Chemical Spill

Monroe County Chemical Spill - Saturday, January 12, 2008 at 9:44PM EST

Reported by: Eric Deabill
Saturday, Jan 12, 2008 @09:44pm EST
Firefighters went door to door today evacuating more than 2-dozen families from their homes. A chemical spill in Monroe County prompted the evacuation.
Dozens of firefighters and first responders clad in haz-mat suits milled around the vertellus specialities plant in the Delaware Water Gap Saturday morning. They were all there to clean-up a chemical leak at the Monroe County business which is known for manufacturing chemicals used in pharmaceuticals.
Bruce Henry, Deputy Director, Monroe County EMA, “There was some sort of an equipment malfunction in the building, where the pump failed or whatever, but they did spill some of the product." The product that leaked is called "alkenyl succinic anhydrides."
While its non-toxic it is known to cause sore throats and watery eyes in people. As a precaution, more than two dozen nearby homes were evacuated. Officials from the state department of environmental protection quickly responded to the scene and they shut-down streets near the plant just to be safe. Because of the spill two shelters were set-up by the Red Cross in the afternoon for the homeowners who were evacuated. Officials say five workers were in the plant at the time of the spill none of them were hurt, but at least one person was taken to the hospital after feeling sick.