Driver Suffers From Burns In Acid Spill

EAST FARMINGDALE, NY - A driver suffered from minor burns after an acid spill in East Farmingdale on Thursday evening.

The Melville Fire Department was requested to assist the East Farmingdale Fire Department with a hazardous materials incident on Smith Street at 6:35 p.m.

East Farmingdale firefighters were out battling a working house fire on Walnut Avenue East during the incident.

Melville firefighters arrived to find that a vehicle had run over a five-gallon container of Sulfuric Acid that fell from a cesspool truck.

The acid splashed on the driver who was transported to Huntington Hospital by the Melville Rescue Squad for treatments of his burns.

The Hicksville Fire Department Hazardous Materials Team was requested to respond, and their members in Hazmat suits were able to neutralize the acid spill.

Also activated was the Town of Babylon Level 3 Hazmat Plan which brought the response of the Wyandanch, North Amityville, Babylon and West Babylon fire departments, Wyandanch-Wheatley Heights Ambulance, and the Babylon Town Fire Marshals.

The Babylon units handled decontamination, rehab and support functions. About 75 firefighters and EMS personnel were on the scene with ten trucks (engines, heavy rescue, Hazmat etc.) and four ambulances.

The incident was under the command of Melville Assistant Chief David Kaplan, and was brought under control at 8:15 p.m. The scene was secured at 8:50 p.m., and turned over to the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation which handled the removal of contaminated material.

Suffolk County Fire-Rescue Coordinators were also on the scene providing assistance.

Information in story provided by Public Relations Officer Steve Silverman in a press release, Photos courtesy Melville FD