Staff photo by John Rawlston/Chattanooga Times Free Press
An ambulance drives away as fire fighters and other emergency workers respond to a chemical fire at NA Industries, seen in the background, on Wednesday, June 17, 2015, in Chattanooga, Tenn.A ruptured chemical pipe started a fire in a factory near Amnicola Highway on Wednesday morning, prompting an evacuation of the plant and injuring several firefighters.
The fire broke out around 10:44 a.m. at NA Industries at 2651 Riverport Road, Chattanooga Fire Department spokesman Bruce Garner said in a release.
Firefighters got the blaze under control within 15 minutes, in part because NA Industries’ deluge sprinklers automatically activated, said tactical services Chief Danny Hague.
One firefighter was exposed to a chemical and was taken to Erlanger hospital for skin irritation, Garner said. Later, two other firefighters also were taken to Erlanger to be checked out as a precaution.
All three were treated and released by Wednesday afternoon.
None of the 27 plant employees working at the time were injured, Garner said.
Almost all employees were evacuated during the incident. The fire was extinguished by 11:35 a.m. and firefighters left the scene at 12:45 p.m., after calling in a hazmat team.
NA Industries employees could not say Wednesday how much of the chemical, maleic anhydride, had leaked from the pipe, but Garner said investigators did determine there was no threat to the public.
NA Industries has been located in Chattanooga for 25 years and produces fine chemicals used in detergent and to strengthen cement, according to newspaper archives.