Haz Mat Call

The Sooke Fire Rescue Haz Mat team was put to the test again when a local excavating contractor called in to inform that a bank of commercial batteries used to power a forklift were smoking and offgassing. Crews were quickly on scene and determined that the batteries which hadn't been used in some time were seriously corroded. The owner had refilled the batteries and was attempting to start the machine at which time the electrical current ran through the corroded sections and began a chemical reaction. Crews in SCBA entered the building and cut the lead bridges between the batteries to stop the current from flowing. The scene was quickly cleaned up once the connections were broken. The occupant had inhaled some of the gases but was treated and released by ambulance crews on scene.