A Bristol Borough man is recovering after accidentally creating a toxic gas that could have killed him.
At Monday evening’s Bristol Borough Council meeting, Mayor Joe Saxton relayed details on the February incident that happened at a residence on Farragut Avenue.
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Bristol Borough firefighters were dispatched to a fumes in a dwelling call and found a man outside throwing up. The man was nearly passed out, said the mayor.
Borough crews ended up calling responders from Dow Chemical and Bucks County Special Operations, which handles hazmat incidents. It was determined the man had mixed bleach and ammonia to disinfect a rental unit, Saxton said.
The man was taken to the hospital and is now recovering, the mayor stated.
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Mixing bleach and ammonia can be a dangerous and can lead to death. The two chemicals mix and create a toxic chloramine gas that can quickly cause coughing, nausea, trouble breathing, wheezing, and pneumonia.
With proper protective gear and equipment, it took crews about an hour to clear the rental unit of dangerous fumes, Saxton said.
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“The guy was really lucky,” the mayor said.
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