Evacuations, shelter-in-place orders remain after chemical tank explosion in Toledo, Ohio, amid dense fog
THE TAKEAWAY
TOLEDO, Ohio — Evacuation and shelter-in-place orders remain in effect around Toledo, Ohio, after hazardous chemicals were released when a tank exploded at an industrial facility late Tuesday, Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz said.
According to the Ohio EPA, the chemical glycidyl methacrylate was released by an error that happened when the chemical was being transferred from a 5,500 gallon tank. Glycidyl methacrylate "is classified as a flammable and has a noticeable odor," the EPA said in a statement.
City officials said the initial emergency response was slowed by dense fog at the time of the chemical release that limited visibility.
FOX Weather Exclusive Storm Tracker Brandon Copic, who lives near the site of the incident, said he could smell the chemical late Tuesday.
"It was getting into my lungs, you could feel the burning sensation," Copic said. "I could only really smell it for a good 30-minute period, and it never really got overwhelming."
"It was very eerie, almost something you see out of a horror movie," added Copic, who lives in the shelter-in-place zone.
WHAT IS SUPER FOG AND WHAT CAUSES IT
A Dense Fog Advisory remained in place through 10 a.m. ET Wednesday.
The local fire department issued evacuation orders for people within a 1-mile radius of the incident late Tuesday. Shelter-in-place orders were expanded early Wednesday within a 3-mile radius of the area, which instructed people to stay indoors and close any ventilation systems that pull in outside air.
Additionally, officials said people in the area were concerned that the dense fog was a plume of the chemical that was released.
"Dense fog and very little wind are affecting visibility across Toledo. You can’t tell fog from the release by looking, so please don’t rely on how the air looks," the city said in a statement on its website early Tuesday.
Officials said a sheriff's deputy was injured and hospitalized, but the extent or nature of those injuries have not been released.
MC Tank, Inc., a liquid chemical transportation company, said its equipment was involved in the incident.
"MC Tank Transport Inc., a subsidiary of The Kenan Advantage Group, Inc., confirms that equipment associated with our operations is involved in the hazardous materials incident on Progress Avenue in Toledo, Ohio," MC Tank Transport said in a statement to FOX Weather. "We urge everyone in the area to follow all evacuation and shelter-in-place instructions issued by local authorities."
The company said glycidyl methacrylate is used in plastic coatings.
Officials said in a Wednesday news conference that the chemical is carcinogenic with long-term exposure, but said there was no immediate danger associated with this release.
People driving within the shelter-in-place zone were asked by officials to use the recirculation mode in their car air conditioners.
They said exposure to the chemical can cause itchiness in the eyes, throat and skin. Officials told people experiencing these kinds of symptoms to take a shower or rinse the affected area.
Those with more serious symptoms like difficulty breathing were asked to call 911.
Check back for updates on this developing story.
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