On 10-8-07 US EPA received a report from North Carolina DENR reporting a release to Third Creek from the Mocaro Dying and Finishing facility in Statesville NC. The release occurred due to offloading approximately 350 gallons of sodium hydroxide to a 8,000 gallon hydrogen peroxide tank. The mixture of incompatible materials caused a reaction that caused the 8,000 gallon AST to overflow. The released material impacted a floor drain that leads to the facilities pre-treatment plant. The heat generated from the reaction also triggered the fire suppression sprinkler system releasing approximately 200,000 gallons of water. The fire suppression water overwhelmed the floor drain causing the room to overflow, the room overflow flowed over the door wells and impacted a storm drain. The storm drain leads to an unnamed tributary to Third Creek.
Local Fire Dept. evacuated facility and a half mile radius.
