11 Firefighters Injured in N.Y. Chemical Fire
A two-alarm chemical fire burned out of control for three hours Wednesday, spewing toxic fumes, forcing the evacuation of two residential blocks and injuring 11 firefighters, officials said.
Mayor Edward I. Koch went to the scene of the fire, Liberty Heat Treating Co. in Queens, to oversee efforts to quell the smoke and flames at the plant, which produces chemicals used in cleaning metals.
The chemicals, which produced “very toxic fumes,” were identified as potassium cyanide and potassium cyanate. The cause of the fire was being investigated.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
