LYNN — Firefighters and a state hazardous materials team cleaned up a potential chemical spill inside an 18-wheeler parked off of Boston Street Monday afternoon.
A UPS driver was making a delivery just after noon when he noticed a chemical smell inside his truck’s trailer, according to Lynn Fire Chief Stephen Archer. The driver immediately closed the truck, parked it deep in a lot, away from the street and businesses, and called the fire department.
“He did everything right,” Archer said. “He did what he was supposed to do.”
At no time was the public in danger from the chemical, Archer said.
There were eight 55-gallon drums of chemical inside the truck’s trailer, according to Archer. While the driver and firefighters on scene didn’t see any leaked chemicals, the state’s Department of Fire Services Hazardous Material Response team would determine what, if any, cleanup was required.
State investigators believe the chemical involved is triethylamine, a chemical compound used in creating resins, epoxies and other materials. Exposure to the chemical’s vapor can lead to “eye irritation, corneal swelling, and halo vision,” according to guidance from the Environmental Protection Agency.
