NEW COLUMBIA, PA — “Amanda Friend and her family were forced from their home late Thursday after a toxic acid-spewing Halliburton truck hauling 4,000 gallons of hydrochloric acid pulled into a neighboring convenience store.
‘There was a huge plume in the air and it was just getting bigger and bigger,’ Friend said Friday, several hours after the incident at the Short Stop Market parking lot in White Deer Township, Union County.
…Halliburton spokesman Susie McMichael said the company was transporting hydrochloric acid for drilling and production support services.
…According to the police report, once the acid hits the air it vaporizes, causing a toxic gaseous cloud.
…Emergency officials worry that accidents involving trucks carrying hazardous materials on the interstate could have an accident that would threaten residents who live in the township. In this case, the truck driver left I-80 and drove almost right into town.
Fortunately, Maynard said the wind Thursday night was blowing west and carried the cloud away from the village.”
— Marcia Moore and John Finnerty, The Daily Item
