By KIMBERLY ACEVEDO
Last Wednesday night, August 7, a routine gas delivery turned into an emergency as an overfilled gas tank at the Long Beach City Garage caused about 20 gallons of gasoline to spill onto the sidewalk and gutter of Long Beach Boulevard. The spill caused one southbound lane on the road to close.
With the Long Beach Fire Department on the way, quick-thinking garage attendant Rick Susse immediately placed Speedy Dry, an absorbing agent, in front of the storm drain to prevent the spill from entering getting into the sewer system.
According to Long Beach Fire Department first assistant chief Scott Kemins, minimal traces of gasoline were found in the storm drain. But, he added, since the water level was low, the gasoline "didn't go anywhere. It stayed within that storm drain."
Accompanying the Long Beach Fire Department was the Long Beach Police Department and the Nassau County Fire Marshal Haz-Mat team. The Long Beach Sewers and Highway Departments were called to the scene to clean up spill.
Chemical mishap causes evacuation
Meanwhile, that two pound bucket of chlorine could have lasted for two years, Vinton Street resident Steven Weiss said. If, he added, he didn't ruin it.
After forgetting to replace the lid on the chlorine bucket, Weiss said he opened the filter on his three-feet-deep pool. The filter splashed and the water "shot into the air" and landed in the bucket of chlorine, he said. As the chlorine started to dissolve the fumes became overpowering, Weiss said. With the fumes rising and his eyes and throat irritated, Weiss said he attempted to place the lid back onto the bucket. But, he said, it blew the top off it.
"I put chlorine into the pool and I never leave the top off," Weiss said. "But this time I did."
At that point, he decided to call the Long Beach Fire Department. Within minutes, the Fire Department responded to the chemical spill at 61 Vinton St. at the same time crews were also containing the Long Beach Boulevard gas spill.
Upon arrival, the fire department contained the spill with water and a hose line, Kemins said. Firefighters worked to prevent any run-off until the Nassau Haz-Mat crew could get to the scene from the gas spill and properly clean and dispose of the chemicals. Residents near the home were asked to move down the block until the spill was removed.
While chlorine isn't flammable, Kemins said, it is dangerous. And, it can burn you because it's an irritant, he said. And while Weiss' daughter complained of a minor "scratchy" throat, no other injuries were reported and the incident was over within an hour.
