By LACHLAN MOORHEAD
EMERGENCY CFA crews rushed to a Hallam winemaking warehouse on Monday morning to secure a hazardous chemicals leak.
More than six brigades and additional support vehicles were on scene at EnolTech’s Wedgewood Road warehouse after a leak was discovered among container drums and an official warning issued by the CFA just after 9am.
EnolTech is a specialist supplier of high quality, sustainable winemaking products.
CFA Operations Officer Greg Christison said chemicals involved in the winemaking process leaked from their 20 litre plastic carboy containers after they were damaged in the weekend’s heatwave.
“What’s happened with the hot weather that we’ve had over the last few days, is that the chemicals started to pressurise in their containers,” Mr Christison said, speaking at the site on Monday.
“As a result they’ve leaked and some of the chemicals have mixed with each other and caused a vapour. That vapor’s non-toxic.
“What we’ve done as a precautionary measure is that we’ve isolated all the factories around and we’ve told the residents around to stay indoors.”
Mr Christison said the leaked chemicals, which amounted to roughly 100 litres, also mixed with concrete and metal in the factory.
By 1.11pm the site was secure and the chemicals placed in larger drums, but crews were on scene until 4pm when they handed back control to the warehouse owners.
The Environment Protection Authority and the Victorian Workcover Authority were also notified of the leak.
The Hallam chemical spillage saw the debut for the CFA’s new Hazardous Materials Response vehicle, commissioned at 8am on Monday and called out to its first run at 8.08am.
If anyone experiences any symptoms that may be due to exposure, seek medical advice or call Nurse on Call on 1300 606 024.
To stay informed visit www.cfa.vic.gov.au.
