PHOTO: A chemical leak at a local imaging center sent eight people to the hospital today, Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Spokesman Al Della Fave says.
At approximately 9:40 am this morning, a 911 call was placed to the Ocean County Sheriff’s Department for a chemical explosion inside Shore Imaging located at 1100 W Route 70 in Manchester. Manchester Police and Fire Departments were dispatched and secured the scene. Preliminary interviews were conducted on scene and a total of ten patients (8 adults, 2 of which were pregnant) were transported to Community Medical Center for evaluation due to chemical exposure.
It was initially reported that an MRI machine exploded causing injury to the employees inside. The Berkeley Hazardous Materials Response Unit, Station 85, was requested to respond to the scene to secure the chemical. Stafford Township Fire Department DeCon Unit, Station 47 responded to the scene and Point Pleasant Fire Department, Station 75, responded to Community Medical Center to assist in decontaminating the responders and patients exposed to the chemical.
Detective Mitchell Remig of OCPO Major Crime Unit- Arson responded and determined that the chemical is Nickel Chloride Hexahydrate and is toxic if absorbed into the skin. He learned on scene that there was no explosion, just a container which cracked containing this chemical; about one gallon. When complete at the scene he then responded to Community Medical Center to conduct interviews of the employees who were transported.
Through interviews it was gathered that the container, also known as a “phantom” contained this chemical and is used to test the MRI machine monthly. It is generally stored at room temperature where the MRI is located. For some reason, the phantom was placed inside a freezer in the facility, thinking it may produce a better image on the scan. All patients at the hospital will be either released soon with some being held for further observation.
[TLS[