Mutual aid was given to the City of Tequesta for a Cyanide spill that sent two store workers to the hospital.
Thursday, August 22nd 2002 - A busy week for Palm Beach County Fire Rescue’s (P.B.C.F.R.) Hazardous Materials Team continued mid Thursday morning when a Regional Hazardous Materials Response was requested for a cyanide spill. The spill occurred at a jewelry store, in Tequesta, shortly before 10:00am. Tequesta Fire Rescue arrived on scene to find a police officer assisting a woman lying on the ground having seizures. A male occupant told firefighters that he and his wife, were working in the jewelry store when he accidentally dropped a quart size amount of cyanide exposing himself and his wife to the toxic chemical. Cyanide is commonly used in the jewelry industry for etching metal or in the cleaning process, however, most jewelers are opting to use safer more stable chemicals. Tequesta firefighters quickly isolated the area and began evacuation of the entire plaza. Both P.B.C.F.R. Special Operations 31 & 19 responded, to provide technical assistance and equipment. The condition of the patients became worse as the cyanide began to affect their respiratory systems. P.B.C.F.R. Safety Officer Capt Houston Park, one of several specially trained Haz-mat toxicology paramedics, arrived on scene and was advised to assist in treatment of the patients. Capt Park wearing full firefighting gear and an Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) administered two Cyanide Antidote Kits to each of the patients. This marked the first time in Palm Beach County’s history that a Cyanide Antidote Kit was administered on a Haz-mat call. The patients were transported to Jupiter Medical Center in critical condition. The female was placed on a ventilator and admitted to the Intensive Care Unit. Two hours later both victims were awake and talking. The couple is expected to make a full recovery. P.B.C.F.R.’s Haz-Mat crews recovered the spill in less than two hours. The plaza was reopened to the public that afternoon however the jewelry store remained closed for a couple of days. No injuries to fire personnel were reported.
P.B.C.F.R. units on scene: SO19,SO31,E19,E31,R19,R31,DC9,BC1,SF2,SF3,VP3,S910,PIO1
Story by Capt Houston Park and Capt Sean Pamplona