Chemical Fire Forces Evacuation

A chemical fire inside a solvent treatment unit forced the evacuation of the Navy’s industrial waste treatment facility at Bangor, officials said.

The flash fire Wednesday was quickly extinguished by employees and no injuries were reported, said Petty Officer 1st Class Brigmon Lohman.

“There is no danger to the public,” Lohman said, noting that no toxic gases were released.

Firefighters kept the building evacuated for several hours and waited for the area to cool before beginning their examination.

The damage was held to the still where the fire began, said Petty Officer 2nd Class Mike Murdoch.

A strong chemical reaction in the still, where paint and solvents are treated, triggered the fire, Lohman said. But it wasn’t clear why the mixture turned volatile.

The waste treatment facility neutralizes hazardous materials generated at Naval Submarine Base Bangor, and readies them for disposal.