NANCY MACE DEMANDS ANSWERS AFTER SECOND CHEMICAL SPILL AT SILFAB SOLAR

 Congresswoman Nancy Mace is calling for full accountability and a complete investigation after Silfab Solar’s Fort Mill facility released hydrofluoric acid Thursday morning, forcing Flint Hill Elementary School to close and triggering a total stop order from the South Carolina Department of Environmental Services. It is the second chemical incident at the facility in one week.

According to WCNC Charlotte, York County Emergency Management confirmed the hydrofluoric acid incident around 8 a.m. on Thursday, March 5. The Fort Mill School District closed Flint Hill Elementary out of an abundance of caution after parents arriving for morning drop-off were notified of an active incident at the nearby facility. Silfab Solar sits just a few hundred yards from the Flint Hill campus, separated only by a tree line at the property edge.

According to the National Institutes of Health, hydrofluoric acid is corrosive to metals and tissue and highly toxic if ingested or inhaled.

This incident follows a potassium hydroxide spill at the same facility on Tuesday, March 3, which had already prompted a temporary operational halt by state environmental officials. The South Carolina Department of Environmental Services subsequently directed Silfab to immediately cease all operations, confirm there are no additional leaks, retain a qualified engineer, and notify the department of any future release of any chemical from any piping or tank system. York County Council has called a special meeting for Friday, March 6 to discuss both incidents.

“The residents of Fort Mill raised the alarm. They attended public meetings. They signed petitions. They demanded straight answers. This week, their worst fears came true, twice. A child should never have to worry about what is leaking from the plant next to their school. South Carolina is open for business, but never at the expense of the safety and trust of our people.”

— Congresswoman Nancy Mace