‘Big smoke cloud’: QFES respond to chemical incident at Ipswich company

Queensland Fire and Emergency Services crews are at the scene of a hazardous chemical leak at an Ipswich company that has resulted in cloud of toxic smoke.

Two days after authorities first received word of a chemical leak at Ipswich, dozens of Queensland Fire and Emergency Services personnel remain on scene working to mitigate its impact.

Firefighters responded to a triple-0 call at 6.45pm Saturday after a spill at New Chum caused a plume of smoke to drift west towards Blackstone, Bundamba, and other surrounding areas.

Crews arrived at Sun Mining on Rhondda Rd to find about 75 1000-litre interlockable bulk containers of nitric acid, one of which had ruptured.

A QFES spokesman said acid spilt from one container onto the other containers it was stacked on, causing several of them to rupture in what he described as a “chain reaction”.

As at Monday, QFES has 11 appliances and 30 people – including chemical scientists and hazmat crews – on site, attending to the incident.

They have been working on rotation since Saturday evening.

The scene of a chemical leak at Ipswich.

“Crews are working to separate the storage containers and neutralise the captured nitric acid with a large quantity of soda ash solution under the direction of QFES scientists,” a QFES statement released on Sunday evening read.

“The chemical run-off is being captured and is not entering any waterways or land areas.

“There is no threat to the public at this time, with the forecast north-easterly breeze dispersing the cloud across open mining area.”

The cause of the incident remains unknown but investigations are ongoing.

Ipswich mayor Teresa Harding stated in a Facebook post on Sunday that Ipswich City Council was in communication with the Queensland government over the incident.

“The operations of this business are overseen and enforced by Queensland government Department of Environment and Science, with appropriate conditions to manage the environmental risk of the activity in relation to impacts on environmental values under the Environmental Protection Act 1994,” Cr Harding wrote.

A number of Ipswich residents have shared their experiences of the spill and smoke to social media.

“The smell and eye-stinging was crazy,” one Facebook user wrote.

“What was more surprising was the chemical involved so close to homes nearby.”

Others urged Ipswich City Council to close the operation down, with one stating the business was “way too close to the community”.

Residents of nearby Ipswich suburbs have been asked by QFES to keep their windows and doors closed and, if suffering from a respiratory condition, keep their medications close by.