Hazmat Scare: Man Arrested After Dumping Mystery Acid That Was ‘Smoking’ And ‘Eating’ Parking Lot
September 20, 2009
(EXCLUSIVE) A substance that was “eating” concrete caused a full scale hazardous materials response and landed a subject in jail late Saturday night.
The incident began about 11 p.m. at a BP gas station at I-65 and Highway 31 in Atmore when, according to witnesses, a white male poured a liquid substance out of a gallon plastic jug onto the concrete. The substance was described as “smoking” and “eating” concrete just outside the entrance to the store. After pouring out the liquid, the subject fled the area.
NorthEscambia.com was the only media at the Hazmat incident. For an exclusive NorthEscambia.com photo gallery, click here.
A hazardous materials teams from the Poarch Creek Fire Department responded to the scene, along with the Atmore Fire Department and the Walnut Hill Station of Escambia Fire-Rescue. Since officials did not know what material they were dealing with at the time, the suited up in full Hazmat gear and setup a decontamination area including a shower area.
As a witness to the incident was standing at the scene talking to officials, he spotted a subject in a passing vehicle that he believe was the man that poured out the liquid. A unit from the Atmore Police Department gave chase, returning to the scene with the male subject and the plastic bottle about midnight.
The man, identified as James Anthony Bagwell, 24, of Atmosphere Road, Atmore, told authorities that he emptied the plastic jug onto the concrete in order to fill it with gas for a vehicle that was out of fuel. He identified the liquid in the unmarked jug as being muriatic acid or “mineral acid”. Bagwell told firemen that “it’s that stuff you use to clean out grout”.
Muriatic acid, also known as hydrochloric acid, “mist and the solution have a corrosive effect on human tissue, with the potential to damage respiratory organs, eyes, skin, and intestines,” according to Wikipedia.
Bagwell was arrested by Atmore Police at 12:03 Sunday morning. It was expected that would be charged with improper disposal of a hazardous material, using an improper container, criminal littering and perhaps other charges. Bagwell was transported to the Atmore Police Department for further questioning.
The three people, including the clerk, at the BP station at the time of the incident were evaluated at the scene by paramedics from Atmore Ambulance. At least one complained of nausea. They were forced to remove their clothing due to possible exposure to the acid, and they were decontaminated prior to being place in a waiting ambulance. They were not believed to be seriously injured by the acid or fumes.
The first Hazmat team entered the parking lot of of the store at about 12:45 Sunday morning. They spread an absorbent material over the area of the parking lot where the acid was contained. After working for several minutes. the first two Hazmat team members left the parking lot to be replaced by a second team of two.
The absorbent material was swept up and removed from the parking lot by the Hazmat crews and placed in holding containers to be transported from the scene for proper disposal.
As the Hazmat team members left the parking lot, they were required to go through a decontamination shower, and then they received a scrub-down from other team members dressed completely in protective clothing and wearing breathing apparatus. Personnel from Atmore Ambulance checked the vital signs of emergency personnel both before and after they entered the scene to ensure that they were not harmed by the acid.
The scene was declared to be decontaminated at about 1:45 a.m. Sunday. Emergency personnel remained on scene until about 3:00 a.m. cleaning up supplies and the decontamination shower.
None of the dozens of emergeny personnel that responded to the scene were injured.
The Atmore Police Department, Alabama State Troopers and Poarch Creek Police Department also responded to the incident.
NorthEscambia.com was the only media at the Hazmat incident. For an exclusive NorthEscambia.com photo gallery, click here.
Pictured top: A Hazmat crew works to clean acid out of a gas station parking lot: Pictured top inset: The man who allegedly pour the acid out of a gallon jug talks with Assistant Atmore Fire Chief Mike Staples while holding the jug. Pictured middle inset: James Anthony Bagwell is taken into custody by Atmore Police. Pictured bottom incident: First responders had their vital signs checked before and after entering the contaminated area. Pictured below: A two-man Hazmat crew undergoes decontamination procedures. NorthEscambia.com exclusive photos, click to enlarge.
Photo Gallery: Flomaton Football
September 20, 2009
The Leroy High Bears, the top ranked team in Alabama 2A football, beat the Flomaton Hurricanes Friday night 27-21 in Flomaton. ‘
A 73-yard kickoff return from Neino Robinson put the Canes on the board in the first. Jacob Newton had an 11-yard TD pass as the Hurricanes trailed the Bears 14-13 at the half.
Leroy added a TD and a good kick to take a 21-13 lead. Flomaton tied the game with a six yard run from Anthony Odom and a two-point pass from Newton to Austin Patterson. The Bears block a late game field goal attempt from the Hurricanes to send the game into overtime.
The Bears scored on a 10-yard run on the first play of overtime to take the game 27-21.
The Hurricanes (2-2, 1-2) will be at home against Central-Hayneville next Friday night.
For more photos, click here for a gallery and then visit mikenewtonphotography.
Ryheem Dixon gains yardage for the Flomaton Hurricanes Friday night against Flomaton. Submitted photo by Mike Newton Photography for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge
Nursing Home Residents Remember, Create New Memories
September 20, 2009
An “Afternoon of Memories” was held Saturday at Century Care Center.
Past Century Care Center residents were remembered and all current residents were honored during the program. Residents and their families then had the opportunity to make memory boxes together following the program.
The Afternoon of Memories was sponsored by Century Care Center, Covenant Hospice and Century United Methodist Church.
Pictured: Century Care Center residents and family members took part in an Afternoon of Memories Saturday. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Photo Galleries: Northwest Escambia Eagle Football
September 20, 2009
The Northwest Escambia Eagles and the Navarre Raiders met on NWE’s home turf at Ernest Ward Middle School Saturday.
The Navarre Raiders defeated the NWE Mini-Mites 19-0.
In Mite action the NWE Eagles fell to Navarre 8-6 in double overtime.
We have three different photo galleries from Saturday’s action:
– For a photo gallery from the NWE Mini-Mites, click here.
– For a photo gallery from the NWE Mites, click here.
– For a photo gallery from the NWE Midgets, click here.
Pictured top: Action from the NWE Mini-Mites Saturday in Walnut Hill. Pictured inset: NWE Midget action from Saturday. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Stimulus Funds Purchase New Reading, Math Materials For Local Schools
September 20, 2009
New reading and math materials are being purchased for Exceptional Student Education students in North Escambia schools.
“Corrective Reading” and “Ravenscourt” are extensions of the series currently being used in the elementary ESE reading curriculum. “Number Word” is being purchased for a formal math curriculum and supplement to the general math curriculum for ESE students. Presently, there is no consistent ESE math curriculum at the elementary level.
Bratt and Jim Allen elementaries will each receive $3,297.27 in reading materials and $5,395.86 in math materials for a total of $8,693.13 for each school. Molino Park Elementary will receive $3,297.27 in reading materials and $7,194.48 in math materials for a total of $10,491.75.
The reading and math materials are being purchased for each elementary school at a total of $307,167.96 for the entire district.
Teacher’s Child Abuse Case Delayed After Arsonist Blows Up Home Of Witness
September 19, 2009
The trial of an Atmore teacher and her husband has been postponed after the home of a key prosecution witness blew up in what officials say was a case of arson.
In April, an Escambia County (Ala.) grand jury indicted Tracy Linam, 37, and Terry Desmond Linam, 44, both of Chapman Road, Atmore. Both were arrested on three counts of aggravated child abuse and three counts of domestic violence. The child abuse charges are felonies; the domestic violence charges are misdemeanors.
The couple was accused of “torturing, willfully abusing, cruelly beating or otherwise willfully maltreating a child under the age of 18″, according to court records, including “shoving, cursing, belittling, threatening, pulling or snatching hair”. The children, who were Terry Linam’s from a previous marriage, were given medication to make them sleep, court records say. The abuse was not sexual in nature, according to court documents.
The Linams were scheduled to be tried this past week. But that trail was delayed after the Jack Springs Road home of Ken Brewton, brother of Terry Linam’s ex-wife Marcie Linam, “burned in what amounted to an explosion” at 3 a.m. last Saturday, according to documents from the Alabama Attorney General’s Office.
The Brewton family was reportedly out of town on vacation at the time of the explosion and fire that leveled their home north of Atmore.
The judge that was scheduled to hear the child abuse case recused himself after the Attorney General’s office claimed that Judge Bert Rice was biased against the state because of comments he made in child custody case between Terry Linam and Marcie Linam. The attorney general’s office claimed that Rice had said that there was not adequate evidence in the case and that he would dismiss the charges. His comments reportedly came to a Department of Human Resources Employee.
The case was reassigned to Judge Bradley Byrne and was scheduled to begin last week. Now, officials say the case will be on hold while the investigation into the arson continues.
Tracy Linam is a kindergarten teacher at Rachel Patterson Elementary School in Atmore, where she has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of her trial.
Freeport Defeats Jay 33-20
September 19, 2009
The Jay Royals lost to the Freeport High Bulldogs Friday night, 33-20.
The Bulldogs jumped out to an early lead with with a 49-yard touchdown run with 10:38 to go in the first quarter. With a missed kick, Freeport had a 6-0 lead. The Bulldogs added another TD on a 17-yard pass with 4:04 to go in the first. A good kick, and Freeport was up 13-0 headed into the second.
Freeport added two more touchdowns, one with missed kick in the second quarter. One came with 9:29 to go on a one yard dash, and the other was a three yard run. Freeport was up 26-0 headed into halftime.
The third quarter was all Royals, with a 35-yard touchdown run from Rush Hendricks and a three yard TD run from Dakota Boughton. Both Todd Laney kicks were good. The third ended with Jay trailing on their home field 26-14.
Steven Brabham picked up a 45-yard touchdown run in the fourth but the Royal kick was no good. The Bulldogs answered with a 27-yard pass with just 24 seconds on the clock.
Jay is headed into an off week next week. The Royals will be be back in action October 2 at Sneeds.
Top-Ranked Leroy Beats Flomaton 27-21 In OT
September 19, 2009
The Leroy High Bears, the top ranked team in Alabama 2A football, beat the Flomaton Hurricanes Friday night 27-21 in Flomaton. ‘
A 73-yard kickoff return from Neino Robinson put the Canes on the board in the first. Jacob Newton had an 11-yard TD pass as the Hurricanes trailed the Bears 14-13 at the half.
Leroy added a TD and a good kick to take a 21-13 lead. Flomaton tied the game with a six yard run from Anthony Odom and a two-point pass from Newton to Austin Patterson. The Bears block a late game field goal attempt from the Hurricanes to send the game into overtime.
The Bears scored on a 10-yard run on the first play of overtime to take the game 27-21.
The Hurricanes (2-2, 1-2) will be at home against Central-Hayneville next Friday night.
Tate Aggies Easily Beat Satsuma 43-14
September 19, 2009
The Tate High School Aggies traveled to Alabama Friday night and easily beat Satsuma High School 43-14.
Petey Jone scored with runs of 49 and 38 yards, and 19-yard Edwin Richburg touchdown pass. Qudarius Ford had a 1-yarder for the Aggies, and Rickburg had a 49-yarder. Deauntay Johnson had the biggie of the night, a 72-yard run in the third, and Rickburg added another 38-yard TD run.
The Aggies saw a lot of yellow fly — 16 penalties for 130 yards.
The Aggies will be at home next Friday night against the Pace Patriots.
Spanish Fort Slams Escambia County High 45-6
September 19, 2009
Spanish Fort High School slammed the Escambia County Blue Devils Friday night, 45-6.
Spanish Fort had 265 total yards Friday night while holding Blue Devils to just 98 yards. ECHS completed five passes on 12 attempts for a total of four yards. Escambia County had 94 rushing yards on 37 attempts. Escambia County High will host Baldwin County High School in Atmore next Friday night.