HazMat Incident Kipps Trailer Park 08/02/17

   AROUND 8:30PM WEDNESDAY NIGHT A 71 YEAR OLD RESIDENT OF KIPPS TRAILER PARK CALLED 911 TO REPORT HER 69 YEAR OLD HUSBAND WAS HAVING DIFFICULTY BREATHING, THE GREENPORT RESCUE SQUAD WAS DISPATCHED AND ARRIVED TO FIND A VERY TOXIC ENVIRONMENT AND CALLED FOR FIRE DEPARTMENT ASSISTANCE. GREENPORT FIREFIGHTERS ARRIVED AND USING SELF CONTAINED BREATHING APPARATUS WERE ABLE TO GET THE MAN OUT OF THE RESIDENCE WHO WAS THEN TRANSPORTED TO COLUMBIA MEMORIAL HOSPITAL. HIS WIFE WAS LOCATED ON A PORCH AND REMOVED FROM THE AREA.  FIREFIGHTERS DETERMINED THAT SEVERAL DIFFERENT BRANDS OF DRAIN CLEANERS WERE POURED IN A SINK AND LEFT FOR OVER 4 HOURS THE CHEMICAL REACTION CREATED A VERY TOXIC AND POTENTIAL FATAL SITUATION. COLUMBIA COUNTY HAZMAT TEAM WAS CONTACTED AND REMOVED CHEMICALS COLLECTED BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. THE RESIDENCE WAS VENTILATED AND REMAINED UNINHABITABLE. GREENPORT FIREFIGHTERS , RESCUE SQUAD AND HAZMAT MEMBERS REMAINED ON SCENE UNTIL 1 A.M.  THE FIRE CHIEF REMINDS EVERYONE TO READ AND FOLLOW DIRECTIONS WHEN USING THESE TYPE OF PRODUCTS AND TO BE EXTREMELY CAREFUL.

AUTH CHIEF GARY MAZZACANO, GREENPORT FIRE DISTRICT