Chemical incident at Devizes company (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Chemical incident at Devizes company

12:15pm Wednesday 2nd December 2009 in News By Jill Crooks

FIRE crews from Devizes and Melksham were called to a chemical incident at Devizes company TYM Seals & Gaskets this morning.

An employee at the company was operating an extrusion machine making a silicone rubber unit when it ignited and mixed with an organic peroxide chemical called Dichlorobenzoyl.

As a result the premises, on the Hopton Industrial Estate, filled with clouds of fumes.

Foreman Dean Ellicock, 40, took hold of the burning material in a plastic tub and took it outside and all nine employees got out of the building safely.

Two fire engines attended and four fire fighters wearing breathing apparatus got rid of the fumes by using fans to ventilate the building. The fire crews were called at 10am and were in attendance for about two hours.

Fire chief Andy Green, from Trowbridge, said the amount of the chemical concerned was less than one kilogram and therefore represented a very low hazard.

He said: “In large quantities the chemical is toxic and if there had been lots more of the chemical we would have had to consider evacuating neighbouring buildings and telling people to keep doors and windows shut.”

Les Phillips, director of TYM Seals & Gaskets, praised Mr Ellicock for his swift actions.

He said: "Dean was quick thinking and his brave actions saved people from being overcome by the fumes.

If you come into contact with the chemical it can result in nausea."

TYM has been at Hopton for seven years and it manufactures seals and rubber gaskets. Its clients include hospitals and car manufacturers.