Chemical leak prompts Olympia evacuations, hazmat response
Jan 28, 2015, 1:17 PM | Updated: 3:04 pm
A widespread chemical leak prompted the evacuation of a number of businesses at the Port of Olympia Wednesday as firefighters worked to contain it.
The Olympia Fire Department reports hydrogen peroxide began leaking from tanks at a stormwater treatment facility, and spread to nearby storm drains. Chemical plumes could be seen pouring from the building and drains in video shot by our newspartner KING 5.
There is a 1/4 mile perimeter that has been evacuated surrounding the spill site in Olympia via @cityofolympia pic.twitter.com/4JxGMpKvov
— KING 5 News (@KING5Seattle) January 28, 2015
About eight businesses were evacuated while at least six were told to hold in place.
Hazmat crews and the Department of Ecology responded to the scene and contained it after several hours.
Olympia fire spokesman Greg Wright tells KIRO Radio the leak originated from a pipe entering a tank that contained about 3,300 gallons of the chemical.
Normal port activities resumed just after 3 p.m.
