Incident Title   Chemical Fire Touches Off Explosions and Evacuations; One Injured and Residents Forced Indoors        Location Date of Incident   Tullytown, PA, United States 12/7/2001- 6:15 PM   CSB Incident Number NRC Report Number Board Ref. Number   2001-5326 588091 None Reported   Current Status Date of Report Update   No CSB Action 12/11/2001 - 1:16 PM   Incident Types Location Types   - Explosion - Fire Fixed Facility   Evacuations Injuries Fatalities   1000 (Estimate) 1 (Estimate) None   Chemicals Involved   None Reported   Description or Latest Development   ----- Information Added: Tuesday, December 11, 2001 - 1:15 PM ----- Firefighters from numerous squads and hazardous material handlers responded to a Friday evening (12-11-2001) blaze in a Tullytown chemical plant that triggered multiple explosions and the building's collapse. Enormous pillars of flame lit the night sky above Gelest Inc. at 612 William Leigh Drive in the Lucisano Industrial Park. Gelest occupied about 75 percent of the industrial park's D building. Four Seasons Patio and Doors occupied the remaining portion, company president Al Lopez said. One plant employee, Brian Pollilo, 24, of Horsham suffered multiple burns and the borough activated its emergency notification system ordering residents indoors. The fire also forced the evacuation of nearby businesses. The borough wasn't the only community affected. About a mile down the road in Falls, more than 1,000 visitors to Pennsbury Manor's annual Holly Night were evacuated by fire officials. One visitor, who asked not to be named, said that by the time she and her family left, their eyes and noses were burning. The President of Gelest Inc., said a static electrical discharge in the plant's laboratory might have touched off the blaze. He said he couldn't elaborate because the fire is under investigation. According to the company Web site, Gelest, a 11-year-old firm, manufactures several chemical compounds that contain silicone, germanium, tin, and lead. The business specializes in silicone-based materials used in the electronics field.   Sources ( * indicates the original source) Source Details   Media Bucks County Courier Times 12-8-2001    National Response Center *