Multiple emergency responders were at the scene at a business in south London after a large internal chemical spill Monday morning caused a small road closure.
Fire officials say they received a call at around 8:30 a.m. for a chemical spill at Diversey, a producer of cleaning and hygiene products for the hospitality and health-care industries. An evacuation of the facility was already in progress when emergency responders arrived, London fire platoon chief Colin Shewell said.
“We were met out front by staff who were able to give us pertinent information about the product,” Shewell said.
The substance spilled was Pascal, which is described on the company’s website as a “low foaming, heavy duty, non-fuming, nitric acid-based descaler for use in a wide range of cleaning-in-place (CIP) applications in the food and beverage industry.”
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Shewell said all safety mechanisms in place worked effectively to keep the spill contained inside the building, and other than a slight off-gassing early in the process, no chemicals escaped the facility premises. Shewell said the Ministry of Environment was informed of the off-gassing.
No injuries to either employees or emergency responders were reported.
A company official declined comment directly to the media and instead asked Shewell to reiterate that all safety mechanisms worked properly and thanked emergency responders for their swift response.
One fire truck was brought to the rear of the facility, where the spill was contained, to assist in managing and flushing the chemical with water.
“We do have crews from our hazmat tech division here on scene and everything is well in control,” said Shewell. “It is corrosive … but it is a food-grade cleanser used commonly in the industry.”
The road where the facility is located, Green Valley Road, was closed briefly so emergency officials could assess the scene. The roadway reopened shortly after 9:30 a.m. Shewell said fire crews would remain at the scene for a couple of hours before clearing out.
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