Two chemical leak patients still in critical, but stable, condition

Airways are obstructed with the lung-attacking MDI chemical

HENRIETTA, NY (WROC) – From the five who were treated yesterday, two victims from the MDI chemical leak are in critical, but stable condition at Strong Memorial Hospital. Both are demolition workers who were tearing down sections of the old Amesbury Truth building at Eagle’s Landing on Jefferson Road. They are Andrew Corbin, 31 and Steve Fousse, 19.

Methylene diphenyl diisocyanate is a chemical that attacks the lungs, and they are experiencing airway burns according to Henrietta Assistant Fire Chief Mark Cholach. The other victims treated and released either on-scene or at Strong, all demolition workers are:

• Matthew Roberts, 45 of Fairport
• Tim McCarty, 58, of Boonville, IN
• Byron Lewis, 27 of Byron

Cholach says, “They had four 5,000 gallon tanks, two MDI, two of another chemical. And what happened is during the demolition process, they were actually disassembling those tanks.”

Cholach adds yesterday’s HAZMAT event was anything but typical. “But to go into a situation where we actually have multiple people down when we pull up, that’s defiantly out of the norm. And everyone’s senses are a little but heightened because what are our crews going to be walking into in that type of a situation? There’s no such thing as the mundane anymore you have to expect for the worst and hope for the best.”

See video here:  https://www.rochesterfirst.com/news/local-news/firefighters-id-workers-exposed-to-chemical-at-henrietta-factory/1843498001