A hazardous materials incident forced the evacuation of the Days Inn Hotel along North Gilbert Street in Danville this morning (Monday). Fire Chief Don McMasters explained what happened in the building’s basement…
{AUDIO: ‘’In an attempt to fill-up the pool chlorinator, there was an incident with some pool chlorine tabs. It created a chlorine cloud, if you will. A couple people were injured.’’}
Chief McMasters says several people required medical treatment…
{AUDIO: ‘’There was two individuals that I know of were taken to the hospital, as well as several that were just treated – and refused further treatment on the scene.’’}
As Danville Police kept people away from the parking lot north of the building as firefighters prepared to vent the potential toxic chemical gas out of the basement….
{AUDIO: ‘’We have our own Hazardous Materials Technician Level Response Team. We utilize all the personnel that were physically on duty today are all here working right now. Our Techs as well as our support people that are only Operations Level as well. And then we called back off-duty personnel to come back into the city, and they’re handling the rest of the calls in the city for us while we’re here handling this.’’}
People who were evacuated from the Days Hotel were allowed to take shelter at the nearby Veterans of Foreign Wars building.
Further information on the condition of the two people who were taken to the hospital for treatment was not immediately available.
NOTE: The Danville Fire Department later released a statement that at 2 PM, the hotel was turned back over to the owners, and occupants were able to return to their rooms.
