By Shavonne Walker

shavonne.walker@salisburypost.com

Hazmat crews and fire personnel responded to a small chemical spill Tuesday afternoon at AkzoNobel Chemicals Inc. following a chemical reaction from a product at the Cedar Springs Road plant.

Company officials say an ingredient used to make label adhesive self-reacted, generating heat and smoke. A hazardous materials team was called in as a precaution. The incident was reported just after 4:30 p.m.

A third of the drum self-reacted in an area where the chemical is stored, said Gary Hamblin, director of operations for Henkel Corp., located beside AkzoNobel.

Hamblin said Henkel worked with officials from AkzoNobel to contain the chemical.

Brian Owen, AkzoNobel site director, said both companies have trained together and have a joint hazardous materials team that responded to the spill. Owen said there was no one in the area where the spill happened, which was in an area especially designed for containment.

All employees were accounted for, both men said.

“There was no environmental impact,” Owen said.

Emergency responders worked with plant personnel to contain the spill and monitor it for precaution and safety, said Frank Thomason, chief of emergency services.

The following agencies responded to the spill: Salisbury Fire Department, Rowan/Salisbury Hazmat Team, Rowan County Rescue Squad, Rowan County Emergency Services’ fire and emergency management divisions.

The AkzoNobel plant is located in the former National Starch facility.

Contact reporter Shavonne Walker at 704-797-4253.