Firefighters respond to hazardous materials incident as garbage truck dumps toxic load | Mascot

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4. Firefighters respond to hazardous materials incident as garbage truck dumps toxic load - Mascot

Firefighters respond to hazardous materials incident as garbage truck dumps toxic load - Mascot

Published: 09 Jan 2025 10:45am

Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) crews are on scene at a hazardous materials incident at Mascot in Sydney's inner south.

A garbage truck dumped its load of around 150 kilograms of a powdered bleach substance after it began reacting with other materials in the vehicle in Coward Street, just after 4am today.

FRNSW firefighters from the Mascot Fire Station, directly opposite the incident, were immediately on scene as the truck offloaded its contents.

Once the load was isolated, the reaction continued, producing a toxic vapor cloud that has since subsided significantly.

Six fire trucks and 22 firefighters including specialist hazardous materials (HAZMAT) experts, trained in managing chemical emergencies, are continuing to deal with the incident.

The firefighters, who are wearing chemical protective clothing, are carefully sorting through the load to safely dispose of the reactive materials.

During the operation, as a precaution, nearby residents have been allowed to remain at home with doors and windows closed, while the vapor cloud dissipates.

FRNSW is managing water runoff during decontamination procedures and is working with the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) to protect local waterways and the environment.

Coward Street remains closed in both directions while crews continue to manage the situation and work towards reopening the area, however this is expected to be a protracted incident.

No injuries have been reported, and the source of the substance is unknown at this stage.

Media note - footage of the incident is available here: https://vimeo.com/1045159287/2cc9b70a75?share=copy [external link]

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