Cyanide leak at Spokane aerospace factory contained; no one hurt

About a dozen workers at a West Plains aerospace plant that manufactures aircraft brakes were forced to evacuate Monday afternoon after sensors detected a poisonous gas leak.

The hydrogen cyanide leak was first reported at about 10:45 a.m. in the UTC Aerospace Systems’ furnace building at 11135 W. Westbow Road, between Interstate 90 and the Fairways Golf Course.

Alexander Killeffer, a UTC spokesperson, confirmed in an email statement that the area where the leak originated was cleared and no one was hurt.

“The authorities were notified and the building has been evacuated as safety teams work to confirm that the area is safe for employees to return to,” Killeffer wrote. “The cause of the incident is under investigation.”

Cody Rohrbach, fire chief of Spokane County Fire District 3, said multiple HAZMAT crews from the Spokane Fire Department were on scene within minutes, but elected not to immediately enter the building. They entered hours later and determined the leak was stopped. None of the gas entered into the atmosphere, he said.

In addition to the about 10 to 15 workers in the furnace building, Rohrbach said another 120 or so in other campus buildings were sheltered in place until the gas could be cleared.

“We’re not aware of any active threat to the community at this time,” he said Monday afternoon.. “It’s still contained.”

Sandy Howard, spokeswoman for the Department of Ecology spills team, said UTC relayed to the state agency that the gas was accidentally produced through a malfunction in their furnace.

“They’re not even sure exactly if they had a release of hydrogen cyanide, but they reported a potential release to us,” she said. “Out of some caution, they evacuated their building where the furnace is at.”

Howard said Department of Ecology workers did not go to the site of the potential leak in person, adding that they were “pretty confident they’re handling it.”

The factory opened in 1999 under Goodrich Corp. It was renamed UTC Aerospace Systems after Goodrich was purchased by United Technologies Corporation in 2012.

In 2015, Goodrich Corp. agreed to pay a $52,000 penalty from the Environmental Protection Agency after releasing more than 25 pounds of hydrogen cyanide into the air at the West Plains plant.

Hydrogen cyanide can form explosive mixtures in the air and may be fatal if inhaled or absorbed through the skin, according to the EPA. Businesses are required to immediately report any release greater than 10 pounds, but Goodrich did not report the release for six weeks, the EPA said. The release occurred during a two-hour period on Oct. 6, 2014.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, hydrogen cyanide, or prussic acid, is an odorless, sometimes colorless, gas that is extremely toxic.

“Hydrogen cyanide (AC) is a systemic chemical asphyxiant,” reads a description on the CDC’s website. “It interferes with the normal use of oxygen by nearly every organ of the body. Exposure to hydrogen cyanide (AC) can be rapidly fatal.”

The CDC recommends isolating the area and allowing it to ventilate.

Goodrich was also fined $510,000 after the Department of Ecology found the company’s West Plains factory flushed dangerous chemicals into the sewers and failed to secure proper permits – one of the largest environmental penalties ever meted out in Eastern Washington.

As part of its settlement, Goodrich did not acknowledge any wrongdoing but did agree to change the way it manufactures high-grade carbon for aircraft brakes.

This story is developing and will be updated.