By admin It wasn’t a scene you normally see at a Denny’s restaurant — a tanker truck oozing a yellow-brown chunky mess across the parking lot.
Read more Richland County traffic stop leads to officer-involved shooting. What we know
“I immediately was like, wait, pull over. This is insane. We just saw some, like, material billowing out from the truck. Honestly, it just looked like poop from a butt,” Anvil Murphy told WYFF, a Greenville television station. “Just an absolute fountain and like it was on the top of the truck. It started coming out. It’s like every, like five seconds, like a [mini explosion] would just come out.”
The incident happened around 2:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Denny’s on Reidville Road in Spartanburg near Interstate 26.
The substance wasn’t poop, but diphenylmethane — 2,300 gallons of it. The chemical is used as spray foam, Chief Scott Garrett of the Westview-Fairforest Fire Department said.
Denny’s closed briefly and four employees were decontaminated as a precaution.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says the diphenylmethane is toxic if ingested but more typically it would irritate the eyes and skin.
Read more Rep. Ralph Norman responds as Silfab Solar controversy enters SC Senate race
Garrett said the driver realized the tank was overheating and pulled over into the Denny’s lot. The pop off valve became clogged and the entire rear of the truck blew out.
WHNS obtained a video of the truck as the chemical leaked out of the tank.
It shows the chemical leaking down the sides before the tank exploded and spilled more onto the ground.
Garrett said Thursday afternoon the spill had been cleaned up by a company hired by the owner, Patriot Environmental Services.
“The vehicle experienced over-pressurization and a failure of its storage tank that contained waste material. The cause of the incident and the materials involved are being investigated,” the company said in a press release. “Patriot Environmental Services has more than 20 years of experience providing environmental services and operates in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local regulations. The company will continue to work with all involved parties as the investigation continues and use the findings from the investigation to implement any necessary corrective actions.“
Read more Forest Acres challenges mini mart beer permit near Trenholm Park, fearing crime