A truck carrying spray foam in Spartanburg, South Carolina, exploded at a Denny’s parking lot, leaving thousands of gallons of the chemical sprayed all over the place. Reports suggest this occurred as a result of a chemical reaction, prompting a HAZMAT response.
FOX Carolina reported that the incident occurred on Wednesday, August 5. At around 2:31 p.m., the Westview Fire Department responded to South Blackstock Road after receiving reports of a hazardous materials incident.
The incident involved a truck carrying 2,300 gallons of Diphenylmethane, a type of spray foam used for building insulation and cold storage, among other applications. At a Denny’s parking lot, things got out of control.
Apparently, the truck driver had pulled over at the parking lot after experiencing unspecified issues. Unbeknownst to him, a major chemical reaction was occurring inside the tanker.
Chemical Explosion
Patriot Environmental Services detailed that the truck was returning from a field service job. The truck picked up the Diphenylmethane stored in the tanker.
The spray foam, perhaps unbeknownst to the truck company, turned out to be highly reactive to water. A chemical reaction ensued, and the Diphenylmethane began to expand.
Eventually, as shown in the clip attached above, shared by WAVE, the foam began to be expelled from the tanker. The pressure inside was so high that an explosion occurred, sending the truck forward.
The foam was sent flying all over the surrounding parking lots. It also ended up sticking to the Denny’s building.
HAZMAT Response
Shortly after, the Spartanburg County Hazardous Materials Team responded to the scene. They quickly identified and contained the Diphenylmethane.
Four Denny’s employees were decontaminated at the scene, and a specialized cleanup contractor arrived shortly after. Denny’s was closed and quarantined for about 5 hours before reopening at around 7:30 p.m.
Thankfully, no injuries were reported among any bystanders, Denny’s employees, customers, or emergency responders, WYFF4 reported. The Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office, meanwhile, directed traffic while HAZMAT contained the scene.
Diphenylmethane
Pure Diphenylmethane is chemically stable, nonreactive with water, and can cause only mild irritation to the skin, eyes, and respiratory system. The same cannot be said for its spray-foam variant, methylene diphenylmethane diisocyanate (MDI).
A safety data sheet shared by Spray Foam Systems indicates that MDI can cause a range of adverse effects. These include skin irritation, asthma symptoms, organ damage, and it is harmful if inhaled. As shown in the clip, it is also highly reactive to water.