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Polk Burglary, Spill Of Pool Chlorine Under Investigation

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TBO.com

Published: August 11, 2008

An attempted burglary at a Polk County distributing company during the weekend is blamed for a spill of swimming pool chlorine that may have leaked up to 3,000 gallons of the chemical.

The chlorine is not considered a health hazard and no evacuations have been ordered, said Heather Smith, spokeswoman for Polk County Fire Rescue.

The fire department's hazardous materials team is working today to determine how much of the chemical spilled from the 3,000-gallon tank and clean up any that escaped.

The tank at SCP Distributors, 3545 Reynolds Road, was full when workers left Friday afternoon, a spokeswoman for the county Public Safety Department said.

Investigators do not know how much of the chlorine spilled into a storm drain that they believe leads to a containment area or whether any was stolen.

The chlorine is the type used in swimming pools. It is a diluted solution with about two times the amount of chlorine as household bleach, Smith said.

The business is in an industrial area with few nearby residences, she said.

The Polk County Sheriff's Office is investigating the burglary attempt.

Companies have been contacted to clean the spill, Smith said.

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