Inspection Detail

Inspection: 105423172 - City Of Columbia, Lower Richland Sta Fd

Inspection Information - Office: Sc Department Of Labor, Licensing, And Regulation

Investigation Summary

EMPLOYEES #1-6 ARRIVED AT A TWO STORY UNOCCUPIED BURNING HOUSE AND STARTED APPLYING WATER TO THE STRUCTURE. THEY OBSERVED A BARN ABOUT 400 YARDS AWAY SMOKING AND THEN BURNING. EMPLOYEES #1-6 STARTED APPLYING WATER TO THE FLAMES IN THE BARN. EMPLOYEE #7 ARRIVED AND ALSO BEGAN TO FIGHT THE BARN FIRE. EMPLOYEE #7 RETURNED TO THE AREA OF THE HOUSE AND BECAME ILL. EMPLOYEES #8-12 WERE ALSO IN THE AREA, BUT DID NOT COME IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE BARN. EMPLOYEES #4-6 LEFT THE SITE BUT WERE LATER NOTIFIED OF THE CHEMICAL EXPOSURE AND INSTRUCTED TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL. EMPLOYEES #1-3 AND 7-12 WERE PULLED OFF THE FIRE WHEN THE UNKNOWN CHEMICALS BEGAN TO EXPLODE. EMPLOYEE #7 HAD DIFFICULTY BREATHING AND WAS TRANSPORTED TO AN EMERGENCY MEDICAL FACILITY. ALL THE OTHER EMPLOYEES WERE CHECKED AT THE HOSPITAL AND RELEASED. THE CHEMICALS THE FIREFIGHTERS WERE EXPOSED TO WERE SUSPECTED TO BE 2,4-DICHLOROPHEN OXYACETIC ACID, TOXAPHENE, DOT, METHYL PARATHION, AND 2,4,5- TRICHLOROPHEN OXYACETIC ACID.

Keywords: FIREFIGHTER, RESPIRATORY, FIRE, INHALATION, EXPLOSION, TOXIC FUMES, CHEMICAL