Caustic Soda Spill; San Francisco

San Francisco | 1986-Nov-21

Initial Notification: On November 21, 1986, the U.S. Coast Guard Marine Safety Office, Alameda, was notified by the California Highway Patrol that a large tank truck had overturned in downtown San Francisco. A substance, leaking at a rate of approximately 1 gallon per minute, was observed. A manifest retrieved from the cab indicated that the leaking material was 90% caustic soda, 5% sodium chloride, and 3% devonal U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the California Department of Fish and Game were notified, because it was discovered that approximately 10 gallons of the caustic soda solution had entered a storm drain leading directly to the Oakland inner harbor, which leads directly to the San Francisco Bay. USCG district 12.