The Times-News
BURLEY, Idaho — A Burley firefighter was taken to the hospital Tuesday after a chemical fire at Redox Chemicals LLC.
Burley Fire Chief Shannon Tolman said the firefighter was treated and released from Cassia Regional Medical Center after he suffered a chemical contact burn Tuesday evening.
“He’s doing fine,” Tolman said.
Tolman said the firefighter was wearing protective gear but the chemical powder got inside his coat sleeve, causing the burn.
A chemical mixer, which holds 700 pounds of chemicals, was on fire, Tolman said.
The chemicals were reactive to water so the firefighters used 15 fire extinguishers, including some from neighboring businesses, to quell the blaze, Tolman said.
The call reporting the fire at 130 S. 100 W. came into the fire station at 4:42 p.m. and firefighters called the sheriff’s dispatch, which routed the call back to the fire station.
The fire department sent out an engine, the command vehicle, a truck and a water tender.
When firefighters arrived smoke was showing at the door of the plant.
Tolman said he does not know what kinds of chemicals were involved.
Redox Chemicals officials were unavailable for comment on Wednesday morning.
“It’s still undetermined why it caught on fire, they are still investigating it,” said Tolman.
The chemical was extinguished inside the building, shoveled into wheelbarrows and taken outside, he said.
“It was a unique fire, that’s for sure,” said Tolman.
Tolman said it took about 10 minutes for the department to get the fire under control and another couple of hours to clean up.
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