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Powell Duffryn Chemical Fire and Release; Savannah, Georgia

Savannah, Georgia | 1995-Apr-10

Initial Notification: On April 10, 1995, a fire and explosion occurred at the Powell Duffryn facility in Savannah, Georgia. Powell Duffryn is a tank storage facility located about two miles east of downtown Savannah and one-half mile inland from the southern bank of the Savannah River. The incident site is bordered by industrial facilities on the north, a marsh on the northeast, a residential area on the south, and the Oak Tree Apartment complex immediately adjacent to the facility. Six storage tanks, contained within a bermed area, were involved in this incident. A combined total of 840,000 gallons of crude sulfate turpentine, a highly flammable liquid was contained in three of the tanks. The other tanks contained 400,000 gallons of sodium hydrosulfide (NaSH), a strong basic solution that is a by-product of Kraft paper production; 150,000 gallons of Briquest, a pH2 solution used for plating; and 130,000 gallons of Antiblaze, a fire retardant. USCG district 7. Keyword: phosphine, personal protective equipment, evacuation, ATSDR.

Incident Details
Products of concern:crude sulfate turpentine, sodium hydrosulfide (NaSH), Antiblaze, Briquest
Latitude (approximate): 32° 4.50′ North
Longitude (approximate): 81° 2.50′ West