May 28, 2008 - 13-Mile Chemical Spill Concerns SC Residents

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South Carolina health officials are notifying residents near a chemical spill that spans 13 miles in Spartanburg County to avoid contact with the substance, which can burn skin.

South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) officials believe the spill occurred Tuesday morning, when a truck carrying electroplating waste leaked the chemical it was hauling.

DHEC officials commented that have several leads regarding which truck spilled the chemical, but made no further comment.

The spill left a red-colored streak along 13 miles of neighborhood roads. Residents have voiced concern about possible environmental harm if rain that is expected Wednesday afternoon washes the chemical off the road.

Thom Berry, spokesman for DHEC, urged parents to keep their children away from the potentially harmful waste. Berry said that although it is unlikely that the chemical will pose a danger to animals, pet owners should also prevent their pets from going near the spill.

Crews are expected to arrive from Atlanta late Wednesday to clean up the 13-mile-long spill.