The chemical spill happened at Tronox, Inc. in Downtown Savannah around midnight last night. Emergency crews were called after a toxic cloud formed over the area.
The company says how the spill happened is still under investigation. They do know the titanium tetrachloride spill came from an out-of-service tank and it was contained to that area, however when the chemical mixed with air, it created a giant cloud. It was that cloud that put emergency responders on high alert.
From the ground a white cloud hovers over Tronox, Inc. off Kerr McGee Road. It formed after a titanium tetrachloride leak at the company. For nearly an hour and a half the toxic cloud drifted north across the Savannah River. "There really wasn't that much danger to any of the immediate surrounding area, the industrial area along the river or any residential areas," said Mark Keller with Savannah Fire. Despite that crews monitored it closely and employees were evacuated from the spill area.
"The wind was sufficient, there was never a question about whether the wind was going to shift on us," said Chatam County Emergency Management Director Clayton Scott. He says had the toxic cloud changed directions, CEMA was ready to take action. "We would have gone through our channels to emergency scrolls across televisions, we would have broken into radio broadcasts," said Scott. As well as sounding the emergency sirens and alerting NOAA to send out a weather radio warning telling people to stay inside. The chemical, titanium tetrachloride, can be highly irritating to the eyes and skin, and if inhaled can cause serious lung damage. "It's an irritant, it is not a dangerous, deadly poisonous chemical in the doses that it was presented," added Scott.
The chemical is used to produce titanium dioxide. Titanium dioxide is a white pigment that Tronox uses to manufacture mostly paints and plastics.
As for the tank where the leak happened, the company says it is repaired.
For more information on the titanium tetrachloride
click here.
