Torrington man exposed to ‘tear gas-like agent’ after hazardous material spill

Environmental cleanup crews remained on the scene of a hazardous materials spill Tuesday that exposed a man to a “tear gas-like agent” on Monday afternoon.

Two commercial spaces in the Water Street building and four apartments on the upper levels of the building remained Tuesday night until they are completely clear of contamination, Fire Chief Peter Towey said.

Officials have determined the liquid was chloropicrin, a chemical commonly used in fumigation and agriculture but also can be harmful to humans in high concentrations and was deployed as a poison gas in World War I.

State officials and chemists worked throughout the night to decontaminate the building, but it remained closed into Tuesday evening while crews continued to take air samples in the area, Deputy Fire Chief David Tripp, Jr. said.

The spill was reported just before 3 p.m. Monday at 45 Water Street, where a vial of liquid broke when a man was opening a safe in the building, Tripp said.

Firefighters arrived just a few minutes later and donned full protective hazardous materials gear before they entered the building and found the man experiencing symptoms consistent with a kind of tear gas, Tripp said.

That team sent a photo of hazardous material in its packaging to officials at the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, who “erred on the side of caution” that it might be chloropicrin, Tripp said.

The man refused further treatment and was decontaminated at the scene by firefighters, Tripp said.

During the incident, a propane tank in a grill exploded at a home in rural Torrington, but crews were able to put out the fire without any extension to the house, Tripp said.

DEEP and fire officials with a mobile lab and chemist worked to decontaminate the building overnight, where they took air samples until 4 a.m. and ventilated the building until 9 a.m., Tripp said. Water Street was closed during the work and reopened early Tuesday morning.

The building remained closed for most of Tuesday afternoon for further testing, but officials announced Tuesday night the majority of the building has been deemed safe to reoccupy, Towey said.

Two commercial spaces at 41 and 45 Water Street and four apartments directly above the affected spaces will remain closed until the tests show them completely clear, Towey said.

Zach Murdock can be reached at zmurdock@courant.com.