By Nadine Parks
The Post and Courier (Charleston, S.C.)
Copyright 2007 The Post and Courier
All Rights Reserved
RAVENEL, S.C. — A pharmacy on Savannah Highway was evacuated Tuesday night after a chemical spill caused a breathing hazard.
At about 7:30 p.m., employees reported the spill in the photo lab of the CVS/pharmacy at 6323 Savannah Highway. The St. Paul’s Fire District responded.
District Chief Doc Matthews said at least one, possibly two, photo chemicals leaked onto the tile floor of the lab near the front of the building, causing a respiratory hazard.
Residents of the area were not in danger. “Outside the store, there is no real cause for alarm,” Matthews said.
When the St. Paul’s crew arrived, they immediately evacuated the building in the Ravenel Towne Center, which is near S.C. Highway 165.
At about 9 p.m., firefighters entered the building in protective gear. Matthews said firefighters used cloth absorbent pads to remove the chemicals from the floor.
The firefighters entered in teams of two. Their breathing apparatus lasts for about 30 minutes, and the chief said additional teams of two firefighters would be sent in at 30-minute intervals.
By 10 p.m., the teams had removed as much of the chemicals as possible, Matthews said. CVS will be responsible for the remainder of the cleanup, he said.
The store remained closed for the remainder of Tuesday night. A CVS manager declined to comment on the incident.
One store employee got a liquid chemical on her hand and reported a stinging sensation. That employee, and one other, were taken to Bon Secours St. Francis Hospital as a precaution and for observation. Both employees were reported to be in stable condition Tuesday night by Patty Pledger, the south district supervisor for Charleston County EMS.
The photo lab contains four chemicals: Extra Color Primer, Kodak Flexicolor, Developer Starter and Kodak Bleach Starter.
Which chemical, or chemicals, were involved was not clear.
“It may be one, it may be two,” St. Paul’s Fire District Battalion Chief Richard Hough said.
“This is the first call of this type that we’ve had in my 16 years in the fire department,” Matthews said. “I was surprised.”