Crews responds to hazmat situation in Weymouth

WEYMOUTH, Mass. -- Firefighters were called back to a chemical testing company in Weymouth late Tuesday night after a fire ignited inside the building.

The fire broke out about an hour after a hazardous materials crew left, believing they had cleaned up a chemical spill.

“We believe it’s some type of acid,” said Deputy Chief Richard Chase of the Weymouth Fire Department. “We were able to see visibly through a window…that the product’s leaking out of a glass container inside a cardboard box, dripping onto the floor.”

Just before 6 p.m., four employees inside Ameri-Sci, a company that tests chemicals, smelled something burning. When they went to check it out, they saw a big vapor cloud and ran outside.

Fire officials do not believe the workers were exposed to any harmful chemicals.

“They were all checked out by…an ambulance and no one had any ill effects,” said Chase. “Basically when they saw the vapor cloud they knew it was a bad sign.”

Neighbors several blocks away also noticed the odd smell.

“I heard the fire trucks and I smelled something funny but I wasn’t too sure what it was,” said Debbie Mina.

Most living nearby didn’t know what goes on inside the big building.

“And now this new company went in there and I guess they’re a great company - I don’t know what they actually do,” said Peggy Cicchese, neighbor.

After less than an hour inside the building, crews, covered head to toe in protective suits, contained the spill and carried out the leaking acid that caused the scare.

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