Hazmat team called to Brown Station Road building Monday afternoon
Ryan Shiner
Editor’s note: The time was corrected in this story.
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
Columbia firefighters responded to a report of smoke coming from a building Monday afternoon in the 6500 block of Brown Station Road, according to a press release from the Columbia Fire Department.
An ABC 17 News reporter on the scene saw six Columbia Fire Department trucks, three additional CFD vehicles, two ambulances and an additional vehicle in the area around 5:30 p.m.
First responders were called at 4:59 p.m., arrived within seven minutes and saw smoke containing hydrogen chloride coming from a warehouse, the release says.
“The vapor was a byproduct of an industrial process at the business, and while sometimes routine, this release was not anticipated,” the release says.
CFD’s hazmat team was called and stabilized the scene, the release says. Crews monitored the area as the irritant burned. The release says there was no threat to the community or environment during the incident.
“Today’s response underscored why it is critical to have a highly trained hazmat team ready at a moment’s notice,” Fire Chief Brian Schaeffer said in the release. “Even though this incident turned out to be relatively quick to stabilize, the initial uncertainty required specialized expertise to quickly assess the situation and ensure public safety.”