Fire brigade specialist equipment vehicle attends nitric acid spill in Princes Risborough

A nitric acid spill at an engineering firm in Princes Risborough resulted in the attendance of two fire engines and a specialist equipment vehicle.

About a litre of nitric acid was spilled at Total Carbide on Picts Lane on the 16th of November. One person was taken to hospital as a direct result of the spill and is believed to have suffered breathing difficulties after breathing in the fumes.

One fire engine from Princes Risborough and one from nearby Aylesbury attended the scene. They were joined by a specialist equipment vehicle from Aylesbury and the Operational Support Unit from Great Missenden. The fire brigade had to use gas-tight suits to investigate the spilled liquid, which was contained using specialist spill response equipment.

Chemical spill kits

It’s important, in the event of a spill, that you have the right spill control equipment to contain the spill. Absorbent pads, pillows and socks are available in specialist types, designed to cope with chemical spills and spills of other hazardous liquids. There are also chemical neutralising agents available from spill response companies that can effectively eliminate the hazardous chemical.