Fire crews that battled R.I. blaze were exposed to cyanide gas

By Milton J. Valencia, Globe Staff

The flames and smoke were obvious as firefighters battled a four-alarm blaze at a shipyard in Portsmouth, R.I. this morning. But something else deadly and invisible was in the air, officials said: hydrogen cyanide, a poisonous gas.

At least eight firefighters from several departments that responded to the blaze were brought to Newport Hospital for evaluation this morning after being exposed. They were released after they showed no complications, officials said. Still, the dangers worried officials enough to the point that firefighters wore protective gear and kept onlookers at bay as they battled the blaze for hours.

Fire officials conducting gas readings because of the nature of the chemicals inside the shipyard were alerted to the high levels of the gas. The colorless gas with little odor is emitted by the smoldering of general plastics and household items. The gas prevents the body’s cells from receiving oxygen.

"There wasn't one product that produced cyanide, it was just everything burning," Portsmouth Fire Captain Michael O'Brien said.

At least two other firefighters suffered leg injuries, and a National Grid employee suffered smoke inhalation, O’Brien said.

The blaze was reported just before 5:30 a.m. at the New England Boatworks shipyard, in the East Passage Yachting Center section of Portsmouth. At least three metal industrial buildings, known as Quonset huts, were damaged by the fire. By this afternoon, firefighters had stopped the blaze from spreading and were dousing hot spots.

The property includes at least nine other huts, housing a diesel business and a restaurant, as well as other New England Boatworks property, but they were not affected.

No boats in the marina were damaged, said Andrew Casell, a son of one of the co-owners of New England Boatworks,which is renowned for its custom-built boats, including one that raced in the America’s Cup.

He said firefighters were still investigating the cause of the blaze, and that company officials will not know the extent of the damage until they are able to inspect the property. He said that the huts that caught fire only stored equipment and tools, not any boats.

In other huts, the company is constructing two aluminum boats and a composite project, he said.

"The only damage was to New England Boatworks property," he said. He did not say when the company’s employees will be able to return to work. "I don't know where we're going to go," he said. "We're going to sort things out and move on."

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