50 Oregon Transportation Workers Evacuated Over Hazardous Material Incident

Photo courtesy: Bill Holmstrom/Salem Fire

(SALEM) - A state transportation worker in Salem became sick Friday morning while working around material that had been collected from a road spill just ourside of Newberg

Workers from the Oregon Department of transportation responded to the spill at Highway 240 just outside of Newberg, cleaned up the liquid product on the highway using absorbent pads, and brought it back to their laboratory at 800 Airport Road SE to be tested.

Then Friday morning an employee was preparing the test the product when some of it spilled out of the bag. The worker using different chemicals tried to clean up the spill, became light headed and ended up going to Salem Hospital to be evaluated.

Salem Fire Department received the call for a Hazardous Materials incident at 800 Airport Road at 9:00 AM on Friday. Salem Fire's State Regional Hazardous Material Team responded to the incident.

Fire Spokesman Bill Holmstrom says they have entered the building and collected samples of the product but it had dried up and not enough was available to conduct a conclusive testing.

All materials that had the unknown substance was collected and sealed where it will be properly disposed of. Holmstrom says the air was tested and it was determined that it was safe to have workers return inside the building.