Where things stand
- Chemical tank may still be explosive: The tank that released a hazardous chemical in Toledo, Ohio, may still be explosive, Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz warned.
- Residents evacuated: The mayor said nearly 1,000 people within a one-mile radius were evacuated. ProMedica’s healthcare system evaluated and treated about 30 patients. A sheriff’s deputy was also injured while responding Tuesday night, the mayor said.
- Release was due to “error”: The chemical release was due to an “error that occurred when the material was being transferred,” a spokesperson for the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency said.
- The chemical in the tank: MC Tank Transport said the tank contained glycidyl methacrylate, “an industrial chemical used to make certain plastics, paints and coatings perform better.” People who come into contact with it may feel as if their eyes, nose, mouth and skin are burning, the city fire department said.
Updates
(16)Evacuation and shelter-in-place orders still active after Toledo hazardous materials leak
The one-mile evacuation zone and three-mile shelter-in-place zone around the chemical leak at MC Tank Transport in Toledo, Ohio, remain in place, the city said in an update.
The hazardous materials release is ongoing, and crews continue to monitor the situation, the city said.
Officials urged residents sheltering in the area to “stay where you are, stay indoors, close windows and doors, and turn off ventilation that draws in outside air. Keep pets indoors.”
A total of 983 citizens live within the one-mile evacuation zone, according to Toledo mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz. “Given how industrial the area is and how many different businesses are located in that zone, there could be … as many as 5,000 people working, during the day, in that area,” the mayor added.
Approximately 30 patients treated for symptoms "potentially related to the chemical leak"
ProMedica healthcare system said it has evaluated and treated approximately 30 patients across Toledo metro-area hospital locations who reported symptoms “potentially related to the chemical leak,” as of 1 p.m. Eastern Time.
Most patients have been treated and released, ProMedica said.
ProMedica operates ProMedica Toledo Hospital, the largest hospital in Toledo, according to the healthcare system.
Mercy Health said it has treated a “minimal number of patients” across its area hospitals with “non-emergent symptoms.” Mercy Health operates seven hospitals in the Toledo area, according to its website.
ProMedica also said ProMedica Hospital Toledo is available “as an open shelter for community members who may need a safe place to go as a result of this incident.”
Ohio governor monitoring the incident
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine is monitoring the ongoing release of hazardous chemicals from a tank in Toledo, the governor’s office told CNN.
“Our administration through the Ohio Emergency Management Agency, the Ohio Department of Public Safety, and the Ohio Environmental Agency has been in close contact on the scene with local officials in Toledo regarding this incident,” the governor’s office said in a statement.
Toledo chemical release due to “error” during material’s transfer
The chemical release in Toledo was due to an “error that occurred when the material was being transferred,” according to Bryant Somerville, a spokesperson for the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency.
The EPA confirmed the released chemical, which came from a 5,500-gallon tank, is glycidyl methacrylate, which is classified as a flammable and has a noticeable odor.
Toledo Environmental Services notified the Ohio EPA about the incident around 11:40 p.m. Tuesday, Somerville said in a statement.
Ohio EPA’s Office of Emergency Response then deployed to the scene, where its role is supporting emergency operations on scene, according to the statement. Air monitoring is being done by the US EPA, Somerville said.
Tank is emitting chemical and "has potential" to be explosive, mayor says
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.”
“There is still concern that the tank is emitting this chemical and it has potential within 12 hours of the incident to be explosive,” the mayor said, adding the tank can hold 5,500 gallons of the chemical in liquid form. He said officials don’t know what caused the explosion.
Arkansas-based MC Tank Transport said in a statement the company is working with the fire department and other emergency authorities.
“Our immediate and overriding concern is the safety of area residents, emergency responders and our employees,” it said.
Toledo mayor says chemical leak will not cause a long-term disturbance to public health
The chemical leak can cause “a little irritation” to the eyes and a “taste in the back of the throat” for some nearby residents, according to Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz. But short-term exposure to the leak isn’t going to cause a long-term disturbance to public health, he said.
“It’s not debilitating for me. Now, I’m in good health,” Kapszukiewicz said. But he contended that those with “health challenges” would likely need to take greater precautions. He said long-term exposure to the chemical could be cancerous.
Toledo officials were on-site around 30 minutes after the original 9-1-1 call at 9:30 p.m. last night and haven’t left the scene since, according to Kapszukiewicz.
“Toledo is a resilient place,” Kapszukiewicz said. “It’s right to be concerned – it’s not right to panic, and there’s no cause to panic.”
How the winds in northwest Ohio could impact the situation
Winds in northwest Ohio are light and variable right now.
One one hand, a stronger wind would carry any airborne chemical downstream, but it would also disperse and decrease its concentration. Given the current light winds, the chemical is expected to mostly stay in place.
Shut windows and doors; water remains safe to drink, City of Toledo says
The City of Toledo offered guidance for residents impacted by the explosion and those in surrounding areas Wednesday.
Toledo’s fire department ordered everyone within a one-mile radius of the tank terminal to evacuate and everyone within a three-mile radius to shelter in place.
For those sheltering in place, the city advised shutting windows and doors, turning off AC units drawing in outside air and keeping pets inside.
For residents in the surrounding area, the water is still safe to drink, as the source remains uncontaminated, the city said.
Roads around the evacuation area are closed, but the local interstate remains open. The city advised drivers in the area to roll up their windows and recirculate air inside the vehicle.
The US Environmental Protection Agency is monitoring air quality around the evacuation zone, and the city said it will conduct additional testing around the shelter-in-place zone soon.
Toledo schools closed as families in North Toledo evacuate and shelter in place
Two school districts in Toledo have closed their schools after the chemical tank explosion.
Toledo Public Schools said no students or staff should report to school today. “Families in that area under the shelter in place order are asked to continue following the updates from first responders,” the district said.
With a large area of the current city-issued shelter-in-place falling inside its district, Washington Local Schools also announced schools would be closed today.
An elementary school within the district has been set up as a temporary shelter. “If you are a resident impacted by this morning’s evacuation order, Shoreland Elementary is open for rest and respite,” the district said.
Toledo mayor says chemical tank is still "venting" but less volatile
The chemical in the tank is “ still venting,” but with less volatility than when the leak was initially reported 13 hours ago, Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer.
“From what we understand about the chemical, there’s a 12-hour period from the release of the gas before it is safe to approach it and and address it for fear that it could trigger an explosion,” the mayor said.
The city is urging residents to remain indoors and ventilate their homes as much as possible.
The tank is an outdoor tank by a company that provides industrial services, Kapszukiewicz said.
Toledo incident adds to list of notable chemical tank explosions this year
Yesterday’s chemical tank explosion in Toledo, Ohio, comes amid a number of other significant chemical tank leaks or explosions across the country this year.
- California plant: A chemical tank at a Southern California aerospace facility overheated in May, forcing 50,000 residents to evacuate because authorities feared a catastrophic explosion. The tank contained 6,000 to 7,000 gallons of highly flammable methyl methacrylate. Exposure can cause serious respiratory problems, neurological issues and irritation to the skin, eyes and throat, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
- Washington paper mill: A chemical tank at a Washington state paper mill failed in May, killing 11 in one of the deadliest US workplace disasters in recent decades. A 900,000-gallon tank containing hazardous chemicals ruptured at the Nippon Dynawave Packaging Co. facility in Longview. Officials said spillage sent contamination into the Columbia River, considered the lifeblood of the Pacific Northwest.
This is also the second chemical explosion in Toledo this year. Explosions rocked an industrial recycling business in the city in August, killing two workers and sparking a large fire, officials said. Crews had to deal with hazardous materials, runoff and the threat of more explosions while searching for victims. Environmental officials at the time said monitors showed no hazardous threat in the air.
Ships to remain in Toledo port until hazard is cleared
Ships currently in port in Toledo, Ohio, are not moving out until the hazard from the chemical tank explosion is “taken care of,” city officials said.
“They’re picking up odors at the docks,” Michael Posadny, the special operations deputy chief at Toledo Fire and Rescue, said at a news conference Wednesday morning.
Additionally, CSX trains with rail lines running along the property where the explosion occurred are shut down, Posadny said.
What is MC Tank, the transportation company associated with the explosion?
MC Tank Transport, a company specializing in liquid bulk transport, said the tanks is associated with its operations and contained glycidyl methacrylate, which is a chemical that can cause a burning sensation for those who come into contact with it.
“We understand the serious disruption this incident has caused to nearby residents and businesses, particularly those required to evacuate their homes. We are committed to assisting those affected,” the company said in a statement.
The company, which is based in West Chester, Ohio, said it is working with the American Red Cross to help displaced residents with emergency lodging and transportation.
"Inside my own home was foggy," Toledo resident says
Toledo resident Lynda Ragland first noticed the unusual smell stemming from a chemical tank explosion in the city in the early morning hours and initially thought it was a house fire.
“I had to cover up my air conditioners and put out towels around my door to try to keep it out,” Ragland told Wolf Blitzer on CNN’s Situation Room. “Inside my own home was foggy, so it was scary.”
It was very foggy in Toledo early this morning. Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz reassured residents outside the evacuation zone that the fog was unrelated to the chemical explosion, according to The Associated Press. The National Weather Service said the fog was expected to lift by mid-morning.
Sheriff's deputy injured responding to explosion
A chemical tank exploded in Toledo, Ohio, forcing hundreds of residents to evacuate their homes or shelter in place because of fears of a toxic release, and the mayor warned Wednesday it may still be explosive.
A sheriff’s deputy was injured when he responded to the explosion around 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz said at a news conference Wednesday morning. Kapszukiewicz provided no information about the deputy’s condition.
City orders evacuations
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, Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz said.
The city ordered people within a 1-mile (1.6-kilometer) radius of the explosion to evacuate their homes and businesses Tuesday night. More than 900 people live within the evacuation zone, and all of them had left by Wednesday morning, the mayor said. A shelter-in-place order was issued for residents beyond the evacuation zone within a 3-mile (4.8-kilometer) radius.
It was very foggy early Wednesday in the city of about 265,000 people, hindering visibility and delaying efforts to use drones to monitor the site. Kapszukiewicz reassured residents outside the evacuation zone that the fog was unrelated to the chemical explosion. The National Weather Service said the fog was expected to lift by mid-morning.
