Emergency crews are monitoring a hydrofluoric acid leak at the Silfab Solar facility in York County on Thursday morning, marking the second chemical incident at the site in just three days.
The leak prompted the immediate closure of Flint Hill Elementary School and a chaotic morning for parents as the district evacuated students to a nearby middle school “out of an abundance of caution.”
York County Emergency Management officials confirmed the leak involves hydrofluoric acid, a highly toxic and corrosive substance. However, officials emphasized that the chemical is currently being held within a secondary containment system designed to catch inadvertent releases.
“The leak is within designed containment and does not pose a health risk, and there is no threat to public safety,” York County officials said in a statement.
Despite the assurances, the Fort Mill School District elected to shut down Flint Hill Elementary. Students already on buses were diverted to Pleasant Knoll Middle School. Parents were instructed to gather at the middle school football parking lot for a verified dismissal process starting at 9 a.m.
The incident has sparked sharp criticism from local leaders.
“We are incredibly disappointed that another issue at Silfab Solar has occurred,” the county statement read. “York County does not have regulatory authority but will continue to coordinate with those agencies who do.”
The South Carolina Department of Environmental Services is currently leading the investigation into the cause of the leak.
Thursday’s emergency follows a Tuesday incident at the same Logistics Lane facility involving a 300-gallon spill of water mixed with potassium hydroxide. While that spill was also contained, the back-to-back nature of the accidents has heightened community anxiety regarding the plant’s safety protocols.
Hydrofluoric acid is widely used in industrial manufacturing, including solar panel production, but requires stringent handling due to its ability to cause deep tissue damage and systemic toxicity if inhaled or absorbed through the skin.
County officials said they will remain on-site to monitor the containment and support state investigators.
