Chlorine gas is culprit in Pacific Steel fatality

A punctured canister that leaked chlorine gas resulted in the death of an employee at the Pacific Steel & Recycling facility in Spokane, Washington, and medical treatment for other workers.

In an open letter to the city of Spokane on the company’s website, Pacific Steel & Recycling President and CEO Jeff Millhollin says the Aug. 12 gas leak “hospitalized several employees.”

According to an Aug. 18 online article by the Spokane Spokesman-Review, the employee who died was 44-year old Edward Dumaw.

“Words cannot express the sorrow I feel for the loss of one of our own,” Millhollin wrote in an Aug. 17 post made to the Pacific Steel website. “My thoughts and prayers are with the family and I ask that everyone in the community and the Pacific family send their prayers to those that grieve for their loved one.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) website, chlorine is “one of the most commonly manufactured chemicals in the United States. Its most important use is as a bleach in the manufacture of paper and cloth, but it is also used to make pesticides (insect killers), rubber, and solvents. Chlorine is used in drinking water and swimming pool water to kill harmful bacteria [and is] used as part of the sanitation process for industrial waste and sewage.”

In his open letter to Spokane, Millhollin also praised the role of first responders to the chlorine gas leak.
“Thank you to all the emergency personnel, whose departments are too numerous to mention, for their willingness to run towards danger. Most citizens spend their life planning on avoiding life-threatening situations. These brave men and women clock in to work each day anticipating placing themselves in harm’s way. Their response to our situation was timely, thorough and professional. Most importantly, they were compassionate towards our employees and passionate about making sure the area was safe.”