Advanced Foil Company
Elizabeth City, Union County

Last Updated 12 July 2005

On Friday July 1, 2005, the Bureau of Emergency Response (BER) was notified by the Elizabeth Fire Department of a fire at 800 Bond Street, Advanced Foil Company in Elizabeth City, Union County. BER assistance was requested as well to assist in the response action. This fire involved solvents (Toluene & Xylene) that resulted in the evacuation of the facility and the deployment of BER personnel. Due to the potential for airborne hazardous materials, adjacent residents were advised to remain in their homes with the windows closed until the risk was better identified.

The fire began in a foil machine where Toluene is used as a solvent to clean the foil. The fire spread to adjacent combustibles and eventually to the roof of the building, before being contained and extinguished by the Elizabeth Fire Department.

On-scene, BER personnel assisted the Elizabeth Fire Department in preparing an action plan relevant to the chemical hazards present. BER, with the assistance of the Union County HazMat, also performed air monitoring, both on-site and off-site, for the presence of hazardous materials to ensure the safety of all of the responders and the nearby public. BER employed a variety of instruments including an Infrared Spectroscope, Flame and Photo-ionization detectors, electrochemical sensors and color-metric tubes to check the air for hazardous material. The results of this monitoring revealed that the risk to the public was minimal and did not warrant the evacuation of people from their homes.

BER also worked with the responsible party to establish a scope of work to mitigate the discharge of contaminants from the facility that mobilized during the fire as well as run-off from the firefighting activities. Firewater remediation is now complete and only repairs to the facility remain. Repairs are underway and should be completed this week, enabling the facility to return to operating status.