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A liquid nitrogen tank falling from a truck prompted a precautionary evacuation of two buildings at Thermo Fisher Scientific offices in Pleasanton on Friday afternoon, according to a Livermore-Pleasanton Fire Department spokesman.
LPFD personnel arrived at the Thermo Fisher complex on Sunol Boulevard around 3:15 p.m. Friday after receiving a report of a hazardous materials spill, according to deputy chief Joe Testa.
Upon arrival, first responders found a 260-liter liquid nitrogen tank had fallen from a truck onto one of Thermo Fisher’s private roadways, Testa said.
Fire personnel were initially concerned of the tank’s potential for explosion so the two buildings closest to the tank were evacuated as a precaution, Testa said. They soon found the tank was venting a little bit, showing that the pressure relief valve was working as designed and alleviating the explosion risk.
The tank vented for about an hour before stopping, Testa said. Fire crews were still on scene around 5:30 p.m. to monitor the situation.
There were no injuries or property damage, other than the tank. There was no public risk due to the liquid nitrogen itself because it’s a non-toxic material, Testa said.
