posted June 12, 2008
Three workers were injured in a chemical accident on Thursday morning at NA Industries at 2651 Riverport Road.
Bruce Garner of the fire department said around 8 a.m., employees were working on a chemical supply line that was thought to be depressurized. He said when the line was disconnected, acrylic acid spewed out onto one of the workers.
That worker immediately began to complain of difficulty breathing.
Mr. Garner said another worker began taking the contaminated clothes off of the injured worker, and became contaminated as well.
The Chattanooga Fire Department was sent to the scene as the ambulance crew rushed the victim to Erlanger Hospital. The other two workers also went to Erlanger.
Fire apparatus and the haz-mat team responded to N.A. Industries and, with the help of Chattanooga Police, blocked off Riverport Road as a precaution.
Tactical Services Chief Mack Moore said the accident involved a relatively small amount of acrylic acid.
By noon Thursday, two of the workers had been released from Erlanger. One of the workers from Viking Industrial was still at the hospital in fair condition.
Chief Moore said the small release posed no danger to the public or surrounding environment. The accident will be investigated by NA Industries, Chattanooga police, and the Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration (TOSHA).
Scott Hedrick of Viking Industrial said it was an employee of NA Industries who disconnected the line.
He said, "My guys heard him yelling and they ran off to help him. They took him to a wash station."
Mr. Hedrick said his employees then began having trouble breathing and were taken to the hospital as well.
He said his employees were working a separate contract job at the plant.
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