Effects on local emergency departments of large-scale urban chemical fire with hazardous materials spill.

Introduction: On 18 July 2001, a train hauling hazardous materials, including hydrochloric acid, hydrofluoric acid, and acetic acid, derailed in the city of Baltimore, Maryland, resulting in a fire that burned under a downtown street for five days. Firefighters were stymied in their efforts to extinguish the fire, and the city was subjected to thick smoke for several days.

Objectives: To determine whether an urban chemical fire with a hazardous materials spill resulted in a detectable public health impact, and to demographically describe the at-risk population for potential smoke and chemical exposure.