- Author
-
Benedetti, R. P.
- Title
- Highway Accident Involving Molten Sulfur, Benicia, California, January 19, 1985. Summary Investigation Report.
- Coporate
- National Fire Protection Association, Quincy, MA
- Journal
-
Fire Journal,
Vol. 80,
No. 1,
61-66, 68-70, 84,
January 1986
- Sponsor
- Federal Emergency Management Agency, Washington, DC
National Bureau of Standards, Gaithersburg, MD
- Report
-
NFPA-CA-BE-1
1985
33 p.
- Keywords
-
trucks
|
sulfur
|
accident investigation
|
collisions
|
occupants
- Abstract
- Just before noontime on January 19, 1985, a truck pulling two tank trailers loaded with molten sulfur was involved in a collision on the southbound side of the Benicia-Martinez Bridge in Benicia, California. The truck/trailer combination jumped the center divider into oncoming traffic, striking a nothrbound truck. One of the tanks ruptured on impact, spilling its contents and spewing molten sulfur onto two other vheicles. Ignition of the molten sulfiur occurred immediately. The driver of the sulfur truck was pinned in the wreckage of his ca. Fire fighters were unable to extricate hime from the cab before it was engulfed in fire, and the driver died. Two occupants of one of the northbound vehicles were sprayed with molten sulfur. Although they were able to escape from their vehicle, they were severely burned and one died four days later. The Benicia Fire Department responded within five minutes of the accident and immediately initiated rescue and fire control operations. Back-up units were called in and a request for mutual aid was made shortly thereafter. Fire fighting operations lasted until about 4:00 p.m. Clean-up operations lasted until the following morning. The following are considered the major factors in this incident: 1) detailed emergency response information on molten sulfur was lacking due to the fact that sulfur is not regulated as a hazardous material, 2) there was some delay in responding to the incident due to traffic and to limited access to the bridge, 3) there was difficulty in confirming the nature of the cargo, 4) visibility at the accident site was severely limited due to dense vapors of sulfur dioxide and due to fog.