Western Pennsylvania Company Fined $34K for Acid Cloud

May 22, 2009

State environmental officials have announced a $34,187 fine against a chemical company for a toxic leak that caused and acid cloud that forced hundreds of western Pennsylvania residents to evacuate.

Indspec Chemical Corp. already faces $121,500 in federal workplace safety fines for the leak at its plant in Petrolia on Oct. 11.

About 3,300 pounds of oleum leaked when a transfer tank overflowed because its internal pumps powered by an electrical outlet without an automatic shut-off. Oleum reacts with the atmosphere and the resulting sulfuric acid cloud forced 2,500 people from their homes for a day.

Plant manager Dave Dorko has said the worker responsible for the leak was fired.

The plant about 60 miles north of Pittsburgh makes an adhesive used to manufacture tires.