Hazmat responds to Marlborough company

By Ron Ayotte Contributing Writer

MARLBOROUGH - The Marlborough Fire Department responded to chemical spill at Rinchem on Hayes Memorial Drive shortly before 11 a.m. Jan. 19.

It led to response by the Department of Fire Services District 3 hazmat team and a cleanup company.

Rinchem is company that provides temperature warehousing, packaging and transportation for various chemicals.

The spill was sulfuric acid, is a common chemical used to make other chemicals, in the refining process of petroleum products and as used in the manufacture of automotive batteries. Between 200 to 250 gallons spilled.

Initial response included Engine 2, Tower 1, Rescue 1, and Car 5. The captain of Engine 3 is a

First responders called to truck rollover, bridge crash

By Laura Hayes and Maureen Sullivan

member of the District 3 hazmat team and notified the incident commander to have Engine 3 respond to the scene. Marlborough Car 1, Car 2 and Car 3 also responded to the scene.

Engine 2, Rescue 1, Tower 1 cleared the scene. The command vehicles stayed a bit longer. A reserve engine was staffed to cover Engine 3’s district. The District 3 team was on standby on scene while the hazmat clean up company moved some reactive chemicals out of the spill area. Engine 3 stood by to perform rapid access emergency decontamination should something go sideways.

The incident was ended at 6:05 p.m.

The District 3 hazmat team is one of six throughout the state, and they take care of hazardous material incidents for 48 communities.

WESTBOROUGH -

The Westborough Police and Fire Departments were busy throughout last week as they responded to a series of crashes.

On Jan. 16, police and firefighters responded to a report just before 3 p.m. that a gray Toyota Tundra truck had struck a utility pole at the corner of Mill Road and Fisher Street.

According to police, the driver may have had a medical issue prior to the crash.

Impact from the crash split the pole. Crews from National Grid responded to stabilize the police so that the vehicle could be removed.

In a separate incident on Jan. 17, a tractor trailer struck the East Main Street railroad bridge. While on the scene, it ap - peared that the cab of the truck made it through the clearance under the bridge. However, the trailer was stuck.

Traffic was limited to one lane as crews worked to tow the tractor trailer.

“Truck is stuck. (Again!),” officers wrote on Facebook. “Due to the damage to the trailer, this may be an extended event.”

In a third situation on Jan. 19, police, firefighter and Massachusetts State Police troopers responded to a truck rollover on the ramp from I-495 to westbound Route 9.

According to the Westborough Fire Department, the occupants of the tractor trailer were trapped. There were injuries as well as a fuel spill, firefighters reported.