NANTUCKET – State hazardous materials technicians were called over to Nantucket Island Tuesday evening. According to reports, there was an ammonia leak at the Nantucket Ice Community Rink. Further details were not immediately available.
Statement from Nantucket Fire: At 06:57 pm hours, an automatic alarm was received for the Nantucket Ice Rink. On arrival of the engine crew, it was found that an anhydrous ammonia leak had occurred in the refrigerant compressor room. The leak occurred as aworker was preforming routine maintenance and a hose was dislodged on the refrigerant compressor.
The Engine crew declared the call as a Haz-Mat incident, completing the evacuation of the building. The Deputy Chief of Department responded contacting the Massachusetts Department of Fire Service Hazardous Materials and declaring a Tier 2 Haz-Mat response. A 4-person Haz-Mat team arrived on Island via helicopter at approximately 11:00 pm with the assistance of the USCG. The team was able to make entry into the building, in full protective equipment, finding levels from the leak above IDLH (Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health.) The entry team secured the refrigerant compressor leak and ventilated the building. The State Haz-Mat team and NFD personnel were on scene until 2:30 am where the building was attended by management of the ice rink to continue to ventilate. At 6:30 am today, the State Haz-mat team did a reevaluation of the building. The Anhydrous Ammonia metering was found to be at safe levels and the building fully turned over to management.
**No Civilian or Fire department injuries were reported for this incident.
