Follow-Up: Toledo Chemical Leak Sends 57 to Hospital, 7 Still Being Treated; Evacuation Radius Shrinks to a Quarter Mile as Explosion Risk Falls With Tank Pressure
A Toledo city spokesperson said Thursday that the chemical tank leak at MC Tank Transport in North Toledo has sent 57 people for medical treatment for related symptoms, with 7 still being treated, none in critical condition. As of Thursday morning, the shelter-in-place order had been lifted, and the mandatory evacuation zone had been reduced from an initial one mile to a quarter-mile radius around the site.
Lucas County health officials had reported a figure of at least 60 people treated on Wednesday evening; the city's Thursday update of 57 differs slightly.
The leak began on the evening of October 20. The substance is glycidyl methacrylate, an industrial chemical used to enhance the performance of plastics, paints and coatings. Ohio EPA spokesperson Bryant Somerville said the leak resulted from a 'mistake' during a transfer operation, and that MC Tank employees were the first to call 911. The city said the tank is still releasing small amounts of material, but the release rate has slowed considerably, the tank's temperature and pressure continue to fall, the explosion risk has declined accordingly, and EPA monitoring shows air quality in the surrounding area improving.
A ProMedica health system spokesperson said the most common symptoms among the roughly 50 patients it treated were shortness of breath and chest tightness, most receiving respiratory therapy; patients with underlying respiratory conditions such as asthma and COPD had the most severe symptoms. A sheriff's deputy also required treatment after responding to the scene. The city's goal is to bring cleanup crews in when conditions allow and hand cleanup responsibility back to MC Tank; the evacuation order will remain until the explosion risk is fully eliminated.
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 托莱多市区天际线 / Toledo, Ohio skyline across the Maumee River — MrJacon000, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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