Spills
Delaware city, delaware
Standard Chlorine of Delaware; Delaware City, Delaware · NOAAORR-6322
- issued
- 1986-01-05 00:00Z
- status
- cancelled 1986-01-19 00:00Z
- self-cancels
- 1986-01-19 00:00Z
- authority
- NOAA OR&R
- sea
- North Atlantic Ocean
- position
- 39.576, -75.593
- source
- incidentnews · first seen 2026-09-03 15:09Z
Original warning text
Standard Chlorine of Delaware; Delaware City, Delaware. Delaware City, Delaware. 1. At 0215 on January 5, 1986, tank no. 404 at the Standard Chlorine of Delaware facility in Delaware City failed explosively, releasing over 562,936 gallons of a dichlorobenzene mother liquor. The explosion damaged other tanks and plumbing in the immediate area and spilled the following chemicals: 319,600 gallons of paradichlorobenzene at approximately 95% purity, 53,968 gallons of trichlorobenzene with some paradichlorobenzene; 81,134 gallons of trichlorobenzene with some paradichlorobenzene; and 108,234 gallons of paradichlorobenzene. The mixtures of trichlorobenzene are reported to be composed of approximately 70% 1,2,4 trichlorobenzene and 20% 1,2,3 trichlorobenzene. The initial wave of paradichlorobenzene was approximately 180 degrees F and flowed east onto the Standard Chlorine facility. This wave, and the following waves of trichlorobenzene and dichlorobenzene, flowed north along [...] 2. COMMODITY: DICHLOROBENZENE MOTHER LIQUOR, PARADICHLOROBENZENE, TRICHLOROBENZENE. MAXIMUM POTENTIAL RELEASE: 100000000 GALLONS. 3. POSITION 39.576N 075.593W. NOAA INCIDENTNEWS 6322: https://incidentnews.noaa.gov/incident/6322
This area · spills & pollution incidents
570 within 180 nm since 1972 · 10 in the last 12 months · 0 in force now
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- 700 rockaway tpke, lawrence, ny 11559, USA2026-08-19
- Coast guard pier; new haven, connecticut2026-07-09
- 1 fernbrook st, yonkers, ny 107052026-07-03
- Baltimore inner harbor2026-06-27
- 4101 post rd, trainer, pa 19061, USA2026-06-25
- 6C9J+FR baltimore, md, USA2026-04-08
Season · when spills & pollution incidents happen here
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month of issue, all years in the archive
Timeline · 2 messages since 1985-12-05 · closed 1986-01-19
- Philadelphia, delaware river, nj1985-12-05 → 1985-12-19
- Delaware city, delaware this message1986-01-05 → 1986-01-19
joined by proximity
Nearby now · within 120 nm
Nothing else in force within 120 nm.
Worldwide now
8 spills & pollution incidents in force · see all
Spills
Oil and chemical spills, groundings and vessel casualties with a pollution threat: NOAA IncidentNews responses since 1957, and spill-response areas broadcast as navigational warnings. All current spills & pollution incidents →
Not for navigation. This is a re-rendering of an official navigational warning for awareness; mariners must use official NAVAREA broadcasts and their national MSI service.