North Penn Vol. Fire Co. apparatus Photo by James Short.
Authorities said no public threat after unknown substances mixed inside Monday afternoon
Emergency crews were called to a commercial building along the 800 block of East Main Street in Upper Gwynedd Township Monday afternoon, on the border with Lansdale Borough, after reports of a strong chemical odor inside the structure.
The incident was dispatched around 12:55 p.m., when authorities were alerted that substances from unlabeled bottles had been mixed together, creating what was described over emergency radio as a “mustard gas”-type odor.
The Montgomery County HazMat Response Team responded to the scene by 1:30 p.m., assisting North Penn Volunteer Fire Company, Upper Gwynedd Fire Department, Upper Gwynedd Police, and VMSC Emergency Medical Services.
By James Short
Radio traffic said the situation was contained to the interior of the building, with no indication of any exterior leak or threat to the surrounding public.
Fire crews were observed ventilating the building using fans placed in doorways to clear the air as part of the response.
No injuries were reported.
The incident remains under investigation
