Boy OK after after fall into chemical vat

Tag : ammonia liquor

He got some of the substance in his mouth, but said he didntswallow any, Westfield Police Chief Dale Niles said. Its luckyhe had someone with him, or he may not have gotten out.

The tanning liquor contains, among other substances, ammonia,phosphorus, boron, chromium, nitrates, sulfates and a small amountof cyanide, Niles said.

The youth, believed to be 16 years old and from Arizona, wasvisiting the area with a cousin from Ohio. The boys were stayingwith grandparents in the Westfield area, Niles said.

The boys entered the tannery, which has been closed for severalyears, illegally at about 11 a.m. and began walking through thesprawling complex, Niles said. At some point, the Arizona boy fellinto a vat of tanning liquor and could not get out, Niles said.

He was immersed only briefly before his cousin pulled him out. Anarea resident who saw the boys leaving the tannery called police.Westfield patrolman Mark Burdick went to the tannery, but the boyshad fled on bicycles.

After a quick search, he located the boys, heard their story, andescorted them to Crary Hose Company, Westfields fire department,where the Arizona boy was stripped and decontaminated with coldwater. He was then taken to Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hospital inWellsboro, where he was again decontaminated and released, Nilessaid.

Niles said the former sole leather tannery contains a huge quantityof tanning liquor  possibly 500,000 gallons, he said.  andefforts are under way to dispose of it .

He said the size of the complex made it extremely difficult tosecure it and that illegal entry by youths was not uncommon.Burglars in the past have stolen items from the closed facility,including wiring and scrap metal, he said.

Niles did not know who or what entity owns the old tannery. It hasbeen offered at Tioga County tax sales in recent years, he said.