Smoking Powdered Soap Causes Hazmat Response, Closes Center Road

FRANKFORT, IL — A hazardous materials team responded Sunday night to an unusual case of a pallet of powdered soap that began smoking at a Frankfort chemical manufacturer, according to the Frankfort Fire Protection District. Although the smoldering substance didn't release anything toxic, the incident at Blachford Corp. briefly shut down Center Road between Pfaff Drive and Laraway Road.

The fire district received a call just after 7 p.m. Sunday, July 1, of white smoke coming from Blachford's building, 401 Center Road, Battalion Chief Jeremy Stukel said. The smoking unknown substance eventually was determined to be powdered soap that had somehow become heated and began to smolder, he said.

After consulting with the hazmat team, firefighters took the powdered soap outside and separated it in order to stop the smoldering, Stukel said. The process took about 90 minutes, and the heated powdered soap wasn't considered toxic or hazardous, he added.

Stukel said he wasn't sure how the substance became overheated, but he didn't believe the recent high temperatures had anything to do with it. The powdered soap had not been on the pallet long, and it either had been recently delivered to the building or was waiting to be picked up, he said.

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