Feb. 07--CRANSTON, RI-- Officials are continuing to monitor the health of 20 firefighters who were exposed to chemicals while responding to a Jan. 29 fire at 1420 Elmwood Ave., officials said.
Some of the firefighters have experienced vomiting and "flu-like" symptoms, said Mark Schieldrop, special executive assistant to Mayor Allan W. Fung.
"No one is in the intensive care unit," Schieldrop said. But he added that the department, along with the International Association of Firefighters Local 1363, was still concerned because the effects of some chemicals can take several days to manifest themselves.
The fire and chemical incident is being investigated by state and local fire marshals as well as the state Department of Environmental Management, Chief William McKenna said last week. The one-story brick building was shared by Gem-Craft, a jewelry company, and Prosys, a metal finishing business. McKenna said the Fire Department had a list of chemicals stored in the building when firefighters answered the call.
The building's sprinkler system helped suppress the fire, he said. But the water may have caused two or more chemicals that were not individually harmful to mix together, he said, and their exposure to fire and water may have caused a chemical reaction that created a new, and irritating, substance.
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