1971 — April 2, chemicals transferring from truck to a tank react, fumes, Berwick, ME– 6

— 6 NTSB. HAR. Accidental Mixing of Incompatible Chemicals…Berwick, ME, April 2, 1971.
— 6 UPI. “Sixth Man Dies From Gas Fumes.” Naugatuck News, CT. 4-5-1971, p. 10.

Narrative Information

National Transportation Safety Board: “Synopsis

“On April 2, 1971, at Berwick, Maine, a hose used for transferring a bulk liquid chemical cargo from a motor carrier’s tank semitrailer to a tannery storage tank was incorrectly attached to a fill line leading to an indoor open-top tank. When the transfer began, the cargo mixed with the incompatible chemical stored in the indoor tank, resulting in a chemical reaction which generated toxic hydrogen sulfide gas. Six tannery workers died from inhalation of this toxic gas.

“The National Transportation Safety Board determines that the cause of this accident was the failure of the carrier’s drivers and the tannery foreman to establish an error-free exchange of information required to accomplish the safe transfer of the cargo from the vehicle into a plant storage tank. The likelihood of this failure was increased by the absence of instructions or training in information validation procedures to be followed during such exchanges, and by the absence of markings, devices, or other measures on the vehicle or tannery property which would have permitted such validation to be made unilaterally by either party.

“RECOMMENDATIONS

The National Transportation Safety Board recommends that:

1. The Department of Transportation, with the participation of the Department of Labor and, if required, the Interstate Commerce Commission, conduct a comprehensive investigation into the risks associated with the delivery of bulk liquid cargoes in motor carrier vehicles, and initiate the implementation of risk-reduction measures.

2. The National Tank Truck Carriers, Inc., the Private Truck Council of America, Inc., and State trucking associations, pending implementation of the above recommendation, call their members’ attention to the risks associated with communications failures during bulk liquid deliveries from motor carrier vehicles, and to the need, demonstrated in this accident, for development of, training in, and enforcement of procedures which incorporate information validation techniques to be used during such deliveries.

3. The Department of Labor and the agencies having jurisdiction in each State, pending implementation of recommendation No. 1, consider the establishment of rules, regulations, or standards which require the display of the name of the material to be delivered into each fill line connection at these connections in all facilities where bulk liquid materials are delivered from a motor carrier vehicle, similar to the rules adopted by the Maine Department of Labor and Industry after this accident.

4. The Department of Labor and the agencies having jurisdiction in each State consider developing and implementing requirements which would reduce the risks to employees and carrier personnel in the event of accidental mixing of incompatible bulk liquid materials at all locations where such materials are delivered by motor carrier vehicles.

5. The Department of Transportation initiate rulemaking action to amend 49 CFR 394 to require all carriers to report accidents occurring in connection with the delivery of bulk liquid materials from motor carrier vehicles, whether or not the carrier’s employees, vehicle, or cargo suffered damages in the accident.” (NTSB. Accidental Mixing of Incompatible Chemicals…Berwick, ME, April 2, 1971.)

Newspapers

April 3, AP: “Berwick (AP) – Deadly fumes produced when a tank truck began pumping chemical into a 3,000-gallon tank of tanning solution early Friday resulted in five deaths, five persons being hospitalized and a number suffering from the poisonous gas.

“A Maine State Police spokesman said one worker in the tanning room of the downtown Prime Tanning Co. plant, Richard A. Nadeau, 33, of West Lebanon, dropped to the floor shortly after the transfer operation was under way. A medical examiner said he hied of asphyxiation. When a number of the other 10 men working in the huge room lined with tanks began collapsing or running from the room, the truck drivers quickly shut off the valves.

“Five ambulances were swiftly dispatched to the huge, sprawling plant and Berwick firemen, wearing gas masks, began helping others from the building.

“Four other men died while being rushed to either Frisbie Memorial Hospital in nearby Rochester, N.H., or Wentworth Douglass in Dover, N.H. Dead on arrival at Frisbie were Ronald D. Hayes, 21, of Rochester and Arthur E. Webber, 57, of Berwick. Those listed dead by Wentworth were Mage H. Royce Sr., 48, Farmington, N.H., foreman of the crew, and Dana H. Smith, 43 of Rochester.

“Reported in critical condition at Frisbie were James F. Royce, 18, son of Mage Royce, and Arthur J. Plante, 53, of Berwick. Louis G. Fournier, 40, of Somersworth, N.H., was also hospitalized at Frisbie and Roger K. Dunlap Jr., 34, of Somersworth was admitted to Wentworth. Seven persons were treated at the hospitals and released. Several other workers received medical attention at the plant.

“State Police Sgt. G. Paul Falconer of the Kittery barracks told newsmen that the truck began unloading its supply of sodium sydrosulphite [hydrosulphite?] about 6:45 a.m., shortly after the first shift had arrived. The chemical was pumped into an open, lead tank that contained chromium sulphate, a tanning solution.

“The medical examiner who determined the cause of death of the five tannery workers said the mixture of the two chemicals generated deadly hydrogen sulfide gas. ‘It appears that the driver of the truck was directed to the wrong inlet pipe,’ a state police spokesman in Augusta said later.

“The plant, which employs about 200, was evacuated and production shut down for the day.

“By Friday afternoon, police said, chemists had neutralized the solution produced by mixing the two chemicals….

“Prime Tanning is Berwick’s major industry….

“Commissioner Marion E. Martin of the State Department of Labor and Industry said the tragedy was the worst industrial accident in her 24 years with the department.” (Associated Press. “Fumes fatal to 5 in Berwick Tannery.” Daily Kennebec Journal, 4-3-1971, p. 1.)

April 5, UPI: “Berwick, Maine (UPI) – A sixth man died during the weekend as a result of an accidental mixture of chemicals which produced poisonous fumes at the Prime Tanning Co. James F. Royce, 18, of Farmington, N.H., died at Frisbie Memorial Hospital in Rochester, N.H. He had been under intensive care since the Friday morning accident in which his father, Mage H. Royce, 48 died. All those killed and injured were employes of the company. The fumes were created when a truck pumped sodium hydro-sulfate into a vat already containing chromium sulphate. The mixture produced deadly hydrogen sulfide….” (UPI. “Sixth Man Dies From Gas Fumes.” Naugatuck News, CT. 4-5-1971, p. 10.)

Sources

Associated Press. “Fumes fatal to 5 in Berwick Tannery.” Daily Kennebec Journal, 4-3-1971, p. 1. Accessed 3-1-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/daily-kennebec-journal-apr-03-1971-p-1/

National Transportation Safety Board. Highway Accident Report. Accidental Mixing of Incompatible Chemicals Followed by Multiple Fatalities During a Bulk Delivery, Berwick, Maine, April 2, 1971 (NTSB HAR-71/01; NTIS PB-190202). Washington, DC: NTIS, adopted August 26, 1971, Accessed at: http://ncsp.tamu.edu/reports/NTSB/ntsbHarzard/HAR7107.htm

United Press International. “Sixth Man Dies From Gas Fumes.” Naugatuck News, CT. 4-5-1971, p. 10. Accessed 3-1-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/naugatuck-daily-news-apr-05-1971-p-5/