Chemical leak forces evacuation for one-mile radius in Toledo, 3-mile shelter-in-place
By Sara Molina, Max White
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TOLEDO, Ohio (WXYZ) — Families in a one-mile radius of a HAZMAT incident in northern Toledo have been ordered to evacuate. Video from overnight shows a haze in the air near the area of the Sterling Pipe and Tube Facility.
Fire crews say it happened just after 9:30 p.m., and we’ve been monitoring the situation all night. The evacuation is still in effect, but only for the one-mile radius around the HAZMAT incident.
The EPA is on scene and identified the chemical as an adhesive coating resident. That chemical is not considered highly-toxic, but it can cause irritation to the eyes, skin and respiratory systems.
A shelter-in-place has been issued for a three-mile radius around 1050 Progress Ave. People in that area are asked to keep their windows and doors closed and turn off all ventilation systems that bring in outside air.
It’s not clear what chemicals may be in the air, according to fire officials. A nearby Meijer is currently serving as an emergency shelter location. The chemical leaked from a tank at the Sterling Pipe & Tube factory on Progress Ave.
“I got up, had my coffee as usual and then got dressed and left for work. When I got outside, I seen it was real foggy, but, other than that, I didn’t think nothing of it until I got up here,” one person told us.
The City of Toledo is asking people who have serious symptoms to call 911, such as difficulty breathing, nausea and vomiting, dizziness or confusion. For minor symptoms such as mild eye, nose, throat or skin irritation, contact a medical professional.
A sheriff’s deputy was injured when he responded to the explosion around 9:30 p.m. Tuesday and was able to drive himself to the hospital, Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz said at a news conference Wednesday morning.
MC Tank Transport said the tank contained glycidyl methacrylate, which it described as “an industrial chemical used to make certain plastics, paints and coatings perform better.”
Kapszukiewicz said the chemical is liquid inside the tank but becomes a gas when released. Video from the area showed a large plume in the sky.
“There is still concern that the tank is emitting this chemical and it has the potential within 12 hours of the incident to be explosive,” the mayor said, adding that it can hold 5,500 gallons of the chemical in liquid form. He said officials don’t know what caused the explosion.
“It’s really toxic if you touch it, if you ingest it,” Karim Baroudi, director of the Toledo-Lucas County Health Department, said during the news conference. “Now we’re trying to kind of determine how much of a toxicity is in the air that the people are breathing so we can give better guidance.”
Baroudi advised residents to close their windows and that those who “feel irritation in the eyes, heavily breathing, just take a shower for now.” The fire department said those who experience symptoms should contact a medical professional.
First responders, hazmat and safety teams are not approaching the tank because of the risk of more explosions, and will reassess conditions later Wednesday morning, Kapszukiewicz said.
Arkansas-based MC Tank Transport said in a statement the company is working with the fire department and other emergency authorities. Company representatives were on their way to Toledo, Kapszukiewicz said.
“Our immediate and overriding concern is the safety of area residents, emergency responders and our employees,” it said. “Our immediate and overriding concern is the safety of area residents, emergency responders and our employees.”
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