Western Pennsylvania Company Fined $34K for Acid Cloud

May 22, 2009

State environmental officials have announced a $34,187 fine against a chemical company for a toxic leak that caused and acid cloud that forced hundreds of western Pennsylvania residents to evacuate.

Indspec Chemical Corp. already faces $121,500 in federal workplace safety fines for the leak at its plant in Petrolia on Oct. 11.

About 3,300 pounds of oleum leaked when a transfer tank overflowed because its internal pumps powered by an electrical outlet without an automatic shut-off. Oleum reacts with the atmosphere and the resulting sulfuric acid cloud forced 2,500 people from their homes for a day.

Plant manager Dave Dorko has said the worker responsible for the leak was fired.

The plant about 60 miles north of Pittsburgh makes an adhesive used to manufacture tires.

Was this article valuable?

Here are more articles you may enjoy.