By J.T. WHITEHOUSE

Staff writer

CANFIELD — Cardinal Joint Fire Chief Don Hutchison addressed the fire board Monday regarding the July 11 chemical spill that happened near the bike trail just west of the high school.

The question came up in a previous Canfield City Council meeting as to why the city was not aware of the incident.

Hutchison gave the full details stating the district received a call at 1:50 p.m. about a chemical spill or leak at Canfield High School, 100 Cardinal Drive.

“Captain Troy Kolar went to 100 Cardinal Drive and was redirected,” he told the board.

“Kolar called in HAZMAT and the City of Canfield Public Works Department to help contain the spill. The EPA was also called and when they arrived on the scene, the EPA took charge.”

Hutchison said the combined organizations traced the leak to Material Sciences Corporation. The company has an underground storage tank to collect sodium hydroxide, a chemical found in some washing detergents and is used as a degreasing agent.

Hutchison added that when the company found out, they immediately dispatched a cleanup crew, and brought in a 20,000-gallon frac tank to store the chemical that had been isolated along the bike trail.

CJFD Board member and Canfield Councilwoman Christine Oliver said she got an anonymous call about chemicals like CR-6 found in the leak.

CJFD legal adviser attorney Chip Comstock said, “The EPA has handled the testing and there should be a record. We’ll try to get a report.”

Hutchison said the fire district was released from the scene a short time after the EPA took over.

“The EPA was OK with how our fire crew, HAZMAT, and the Public Works crew handled the situation and what they did to stop the leak from spreading,” he said. “At this point it is between the EPA, Mill Creek MetroParks and Material Sciences Corp. The fire district is no longer involved.”

The chief said everything was done properly when the leak was reported and the company had been very cooperative with the EPA.

In other business, the board:

•Approved the declaration of nine sets of fire gear and four helmets as surplus to be destroyed.

•Heard from Hutchison, who reported the dispatchers’ contract had been settled at a 4% raise per year for three years and an agreement for Public Works in the city to do hydrant testing.