Crime & Safety

HAZMAT Team Responds to Chlorine Fire

One minor injury was reported.


An accidential chlorine fire on Winfield Road in Princeton Township on Monday afternoon brought a response from both Princeton Fire Department and the Mercer County Hazmat Team.

The incident happened shortly before 1 p.m. while a work crew was opening up a residential pool for the season in the first block of Winfield Road, Emergency Management Director Robert Gregory said. 

According to Gregory, a worker put a powder form of chlorine (pellet) into an empty bucket, which began to smolder then burst into flames. 

Find out what's happening in Princetonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The bucket likely had some solvent with an acid base inside, Gregory said. 

The fire was quickly put out with a CO2 extinguisher, but Hazmat crews from West Windsor and Trenton were dispatched because of the respitory risk. 

Find out what's happening in Princetonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"Chlorine can definitely burn your lungs and send you into respiratory distress," Gregory said, adding that it can also lead to pneumonia long-term. 

The homeowner reported eye irritation and members of Princeton First Aid and Rescue Squad rinsed his eyes. The homeowner declined further treatment, Gregory said. 

No other injuries were reported. 


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com.