March 16, 2004

PHOTO: A portion of a blown-out wall lies on top of an electrician’s van after an explosion Monday rocked Air Products, a specialty gas and chemical company at the Pueblo Airport Industrial park. One person was injured in the blast that released an undisclosed amount of nitric acid gas into the air.

A 1,OOO-gallon tank containing nitric acid exploded Monday afternoon outside the Air Products plant at the Pueblo Industrial Park, but no serious injuries were reported and the area was declared safe Monday evening.

The explosion occurred at 1:45 p.m., blowing out part of one wall and part of the plant's roof, said Inspector Gary Micheli of the Pueblo Fire Department.

A representative for Air Products, 250 William White Blvd., said the huge tank, which contained 250 gallons of nitric acid, had become overpressurized, causing the blast.

A yellowish haze could be seen in the area following the explosion. Exposure to nitric acid can cause various health problems, including breathing difficulties and eye damage".

Everyone at Air Products at the time of the explosion was taken to the B.F. Goodrich plant to be checked for injuries and signs of nitric acid exposure. One employee was taken to Parkview Medical Center, but Micheli said that person's injuries appeared to be minor.

Rural and city fire departments, the Pueblo Police Department, the Pueblo County Sheriffs Office, the Colorado State Patrol and hazardous materials units all responded to the scene, Micheli said. Hazmat workers still were inspecting the plant Monday evening.

"It's something we go real slow (with)," Micheli said. "It's just the opposite of a fire situation."

Micheli said the explosion was an "isolated incident," so no other businesses in the industrial park were evacuated and the Pueblo Memorial Airport remained open.

The Pueblo City-County Health Department issued a press release Monday evening stating the surrounding area was safe.

At the National Weather Service office next to the chemical plant, "all we heard .was a boom," a worker said. Staff were directed to stay indoors until the outside air cleared, the worker said.

Roger Pittman, owner of Transit Mix of Pueblo, a half-mile southwest of Air Products, formerly known as Ashland Chemical, said he and other employees heard a large explosion and turned.

“When we looked around, we saw a big orange cloud,” Pittman said.

Several employees reported smelling an odor, Pittman said.

“Right away the police closed the road and we saw a lot of ambulances, fire trucks and police cars out there. They let us leave the plant, they didn’t let anyone in, Pittman said.

The explosion did not disrupt classes in either school District 60 or District 70.

Baxter Child Care Center, located across U.S. 50 fro the plant, evacuated 53 children and staff members as a result of the explosion, according to the school’s director, Kimberly McClure.

“We heard a big boom and went around checking (the center),” McClure said. “My assistant director and I were very concerned… Coming from Ashland, it could have been anything.”

District 70’s transportation department assisted in evacuating the children to the Pueblo Country High School gymnasium, according to Randy Schade, associate superintendent of educational programs.

McClure said parents were informed that their children had been moved to Country High. The last child was picked up at 5:15 p.m.

Schade added that with travel restricted from the area of Colorado 96 to Colorado 47 along Baxter Road, several students could not be bused to their homes after school.

“We had to hold those students at their home schools until their parents could pick them up,” he said.

The schools affected were South Mesa Elementary, Vineland and Pleasant View middle schools and Pueblo Country High School.

Schade said no other schools in the district were affected.

District 60 spokesman Greg Sinn said that shortly after the explosion, schools in the East Side quadrant were placed on lockdown.

“We advised them to close their windows and doors until further notice,” Sinn said.

An employee of Royal Electrical Services, who was working at the Air Products when the explosion occurred, said everyone present had been briefed and told by unspecified officials not to the media until the investigation into the incident is complete.

U.S. 50 was reopened in both directions about 4:30 p.m. and employees at the industrial park were allowed to leave the area. Air Products employees were transported into town on a city bus.

Micheli said officials will continue their investigation today. It’s not known when Air Products will reopen.

NITRIC\ACID

. Physical form: Liquid

. Color: Colorless to slightly yellow or brown

. Potential health effects: Nitric acid can be corrosive to the skin, eyes, nose, mucous membranes, respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts, as well as any tissue with which It has direct contact. Inhalation of nitric acid vapor can cause coughing, breathing difficulty, chest pain and pulmonary edema (water on the lungs). Depending on the amount of exposure, symptoms may not appear for up to 30 hours.

. Flammability: Nitric acid Itself IS not combustible, but can cause Ignition of other combustible materials and can produce flammable gases when contacting other materials. Large flies involving nitric acid are extinguished using water; small flies are put out with water, dry chemical or soda ash.

- Source: Matenal Safety Data Sheer for nitric acid

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