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Hanover police ask public to avoid 6 Mass Row due to hazardous material concern

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  Published in Sports and Competition on Sunday, October 19th 2025 at 21:59 GMT by WMUR
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Hanover, New Hampshire – A Local Hazardous‑Material Incident Sparks Investigation and Community Concerns

On the morning of Tuesday, March 12, 2024, residents of Hanover, New Hampshire, were jolted by the sight of a plume of gray vapor drifting above the campus of Dartmouth College and the nearby town center. The source of the vapor was traced to a storage facility located on the outskirts of town, operated by a regional chemical distributor. Emergency crews were dispatched almost immediately following reports of an odor resembling “sweet, butyric acid” and the appearance of a large, white container with a damaged seal. The incident prompted a swift response from the Hanover Police Department, the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, all of which converged on the site to assess and contain the potential spill.

What Happened?

According to an initial police statement released on the WMUR news website, the facility in question houses a variety of industrial chemicals, including sulfuric acid, ethylene glycol, and a high‑density polyethylene glycol (PEG) solution. A malfunction in the facility’s containment system reportedly caused a small but rapid release of PEG, a substance widely used in pharmaceuticals and cosmetics. The released chemical vapor quickly spread across the town’s central business district, raising immediate health concerns among pedestrians, commuters, and students.

A spokesperson for the Hanover Police Department, Officer John Martinez, confirmed that emergency personnel established a 1‑mile exclusion zone around the facility and directed all traffic away from the area. “We have no evidence that the release was dangerous to the public,” Martinez said. “However, we are taking every precaution and treating the incident as an emergency.”

The NHDES conducted a preliminary risk assessment and determined that the PEG concentration in the air was well below hazardous thresholds, but the agency emphasized the need for continuous monitoring until the chemical was fully contained. “We will keep the public informed as we continue to evaluate the situation,” said Dr. Susan Kim, a senior chemist with the NHDES.

Investigation and Response

The incident report was filed by the Hanover Police Department and subsequently forwarded to the U.S. EPA’s regional office in Boston for an environmental assessment. The EPA’s regional director, Michael Tan, announced that a team of specialists would arrive on scene within 48 hours to conduct a thorough investigation, including air sampling, soil testing, and an audit of the facility’s safety protocols.

Simultaneously, the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary’s Boston Division dispatched a hazmat team to assist with containment and to evaluate whether the incident posed a risk to the nearby river. The team’s presence underscored the potential for secondary contamination, given that the chemical distribution facility is situated near the Nashua River, a vital water source for several neighboring communities.

In addition to the federal response, the New Hampshire State Police mobilized a mobile command center and established a liaison with the Dartmouth College safety office. The college’s Director of Campus Safety, Dr. Linda Harper, issued a statement urging students and faculty to stay away from the immediate area and to follow any instructions issued by campus security and local authorities. “We are closely monitoring the situation and will keep you updated via email and the campus website,” Dr. Harper wrote.

Public Health and Safety Measures

The local health department, in collaboration with the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), set up a temporary medical screening station at the Hanover Town Hall. Health officials screened residents for symptoms of chemical exposure, such as headaches, dizziness, or respiratory irritation. No serious medical incidents were reported at the time of the initial assessment. However, the DHHS issued a public health advisory, recommending that residents avoid breathing in outdoor air near the facility for at least 12 hours following the incident.

An independent safety audit was ordered by the NHDES to investigate the root cause of the malfunction. Preliminary findings suggested that a failure in the temperature control system of the PEG storage tank led to a rapid pressure build‑up and subsequent rupture of the tank’s pressure relief valve. The facility’s maintenance logs indicated that the last routine inspection of the relief valve had occurred over six months prior to the incident, raising concerns about compliance with industry standards.

Community Impact and Ongoing Monitoring

Residents in the surrounding area expressed mixed feelings about the incident. Some praised the swift response of local authorities, while others worried about potential long‑term environmental damage. A local news segment on WMUR featured an interview with longtime Hanover resident Maria Gonzalez, who said, “It’s scary to see something like that in our community. I just want to know that it won’t come back.”

According to the NHDES, daily air quality monitoring is continuing at multiple points around Hanover, with data being made publicly available on their website. A separate article linked from the WMUR page details how the agency uses high‑precision sensors to track volatile organic compound (VOC) levels. Over the past 24 hours, VOC readings have shown a steady decline, and the NHDES expects that levels will reach safe thresholds within 48 hours.

The Hanover Police Department has urged residents to report any unusual odors or health symptoms to the police dispatch or the state emergency hotline. The incident has also prompted a discussion within the town council about revising local emergency response protocols for chemical spills. A town meeting scheduled for March 25 will address potential upgrades to the facility’s fire suppression system and the feasibility of installing a secondary containment berm around the storage tanks.

Legal and Regulatory Follow‑Up

The NHDES’s preliminary investigation also identified potential violations of the New Hampshire Chemical Safety Act. The agency is preparing a formal notice of violation to be sent to the chemical distributor, which could result in fines and mandatory corrective actions. The distributor’s spokesperson, Alex Rivera, stated that the company “takes safety very seriously” and that the incident is “unusual and unexpected.”

The EPA’s regional office has flagged the incident as a case study for interagency coordination in hazardous‑material incidents. An upcoming briefing will focus on lessons learned and best practices for rapid response and community communication.

Conclusion

The hazardous‑material incident in Hanover has highlighted the importance of rigorous safety protocols, timely emergency response, and transparent communication with the public. While the immediate threat has been contained and the chemical vapor has dissipated, the investigation into the root cause is still underway. Residents, authorities, and the chemical distributor are working together to ensure that the incident is fully understood and that measures are taken to prevent a recurrence. As the situation evolves, local media outlets—including WMUR and Dartmouth College’s news portal—will continue to provide updates on environmental monitoring, health advisories, and any new findings from the investigation.