Posted on 7/5/2002, 7:16:25 PM by PJeffQ
GREENVILLE, S.C. -- The whereabouts 500 pounds of a dangerous chemical and the people who stole it were still a mystery Tuesday to Greenville County, state and federal authorities.Investigators are concerned about finding the material and about what might happen when they do.
The five navy blue cylinders of hydrogen fluoride were taken from National Welders Supply on White Horse Road sometime Thursday night or Friday morning.
Company managers said they fear that whoever stole the hydrogen fluoride may have thought the cylinders contained a type of ammonia used in making methamphetamine.
There are some reports that hydrogen fluoride can also be used in the manufacture of the illegal drug.
Investigators said that they fear when the thieves realize their mistake, they will dump the deadly industrial acid, creating a severe health hazard.
Greenville County's hazardous materials team has spent much of the past two days going over the specifics of handling hydrogen fluoride, also known as hydrofluoric acid, and combating the material and its fumes if they escape into the environment.
The hazmat team assists fire departments and EMS workers when a chemical-spill cleanups.
"We are an industrial area and there's a tremendous amount of hazardous material that runs up and down the road and (is located) at the plant sites," Greenville County hazmat chairman J.R. Boyce told News 4's Todd Gladfelter.
The hazmat workers have their chemical suits and equipment ready and have had some practice with the missing chemical. They assisted with the cleanup of a hydrogen fluoride leak at an Upstate plant.
"We're seeing more and more theft of chemicals," Boyce told News 4. "Specific chemicals they can use that they can't go out and buy. This is a growing trend."
The cylinders are each about 4 feet tall, weigh more than 100 pounds and should be labeled "hydrogen fluoride" with a skull and crossbones.
Anyone who sees the cylinders or has any information about where they might be is asked to call the Greenville County Sheriff's Office at 232-7463 23-CRIME.
Investigators said that late Thursday night or early Friday morning, someone cut a truck-sized hole in the back fence at National Welder's Supply.
Investigators are treating the theft as a burglary and larceny case, but have called in the FBI and the State Law Enforcement Division as a precaution, given the heightened alert for possible terrorist attacks around the July 4 holiday.
"It could just be a theft. It could be somebody could have taken it not knowing what they had," Greenville Sheriff's Sgt. James McCann told WYFF News 4's Nigel Robertson. "It could be another welding company. We just don't know."
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration describes the chemical as a colorless and odorless liquid that easily takes on a gaseous form.
It is extremely corrosive and presents serious dangers to people who might come in contact with it by inhaling vapors or skin contact.
Copyright 2002 by TheCarolinaChannel. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Remember the good old days, when you'd read something like this and think "Gee, I hope it wasn't drug dealers who took this stuff?"
HF is more dangerous than NaF because it's not just toxic and corrosive, but it can also as a vapor attack your skin and lungs. And because it's a respiratory poison, it knocks out your nerve cells, so you don't even feel it, for a couple of days. Then it hurts like hell for 6 months, since HF burns take forever to heal.
There's nasty stuff, truly nasty stuff, and HF.
your example takes a bigger leap to acid, I'm a bit off thread here but what is the difference between Hydrogen fluoride and sodium fluoride?
Hydrogen Floride is an acid. Sodium Floride is a salt. Same difference between Hydrogen Chloride (Hydrochloric Acid) and Sodium Chloride (table salt).
HF = Hydrogen fluoride = hydrofluoric acid
NaF = Sodium fluoride
Sodium fluoride is a salt, like sodium chloride (table salt). Every salt has a parent acid. Hydrochloric acid is the parent acid of sodium chloride: hydrogen fluoride or hydrofluoric acid is the parent acid of sodium fluoride.
If sodium fluoride is toxic (which it is, in anything but very small amounts) then its parent acid has the same toxicity, but in addition it has all the volatility and the corrosive properties of an acid.
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