What we covered here
- Tank temperature down: The tank that released a hazardous chemical in Toledo, Ohio, “is almost done venting” and officials don’t see an explosion as a “very real possibility” at this point, Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz said.
- Residents evacuated: Nearly 300 people within a half-mile radius remain evacuated, down from nearly 1,000. About 30 people were evaluated for symptoms, a healthcare system 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, which is “used to make certain plastics, paints and coatings perform better.” Those who come into contact with it may feel as if their eyes, nose, mouth and skin are burning, fire officials said.
Updates
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Chemical tank conditions improving after sparking earlier explosion fears. Here’s what we know
A tank in Toledo, Ohio, that leaked a hazardous chemical, forcing hundreds of residents to evacuate or shelter in place and sending dozens with potentially related symptoms to the hospital, has cooled down and is “almost done venting,” officials said.
Officials feared earlier that the leak — which the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency attributed to an “error that occurred when the material was being transferred” — may cause an explosion. Residents resorted to wrapping towels or taping trash bags around their doors because of air quality concerns.
But as conditions at the site improved, shelter-in-place orders were lifted and evacuation orders were reduced, Toledo authorities said. Officials now don’t see an explosion as a “very real possibility,” Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz said.
The chemical was glycidyl methacrylate, classified as flammable with a noticeable odor, the EPA said. It’s an industrial chemical “used to make certain plastics, paints and coatings perform better” and came from a 5,500-gallon tank associated with MC Tank Transports.
Here’s what we know.
- Approximately 30 patients treated: ProMedica healthcare system said as of this afternoon, it had treated about 30 people who reported symptoms potentially related to the leak, and most have been released. The chemical may cause a burning sensation in the eyes, nose, mouth, and on the skin, the city fire department said.
- Nearly 1,000 evacuated: Toledo’s fire department previously ordered nearly 1,000 people within a one-mile radius of the tank terminal to evacuate and everyone within a three-mile radius to shelter in place.
- No injuries reported: A sheriff’s deputy who responded to the scene this morning had difficulty breathing and drove himself to the hospital, a city spokesperson told CNN, adding no injuries to deputies have been reported.
- Drones monitor chemical release: Officials chose to let the tank vent rather than intervening to stop the leak, the mayor said. Drones monitoring the site showed conditions improving and less gas being released, he said.
- Governor monitoring situation: The governor’s office told CNN it “has been in close contact on the scene with local officials in Toledo regarding this incident.”
- Schools announce closures: Two districts in Toledo, including Toledo Public Schools and Washington Local Schools, closed their schools Wednesday because of the situation.
- EPA responded Tuesday: Toledo Environmental Services notified the state EPA about the incident around 11:40 p.m. yesterday. Ohio EPA’s Office of Emergency Response was deployed, according to a statement, and the US EPA conducted air monitoring.
- Officials investigating incident: It’s unclear whether the leak was an explosion, the mayor said, and it’s under investigation. “We could find out later that it was an explosion. We don’t know that yet,” he said.
Shelter-in-place lifted and evacuation orders reduced as conditions improve, mayor says
A shelter-in-place order that was in effect due to the Toledo chemical leak has been lifted and evacuation orders have been reduced as conditions at the tank improve, Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz said.
Toledo’s fire department had ordered everyone within a three-mile radius to shelter in place and nearly 1,000 people within a one-mile radius of the tank terminal to evacuate.
The evacuation order has been reduced to a half-mile radius, which affects about 300 people, according to the mayor.
The tank that released a hazardous chemical “is almost done venting” and officials don’t see an explosion as a “very real possibility” at this point, Kapszukiewicz said.
A sheriff’s deputy who responded to the scene this morning was having difficulty breathing and drove himself to the hospital, a city spokesperson told CNN, adding no injuries to deputies have been reported. The mayor had said at a news conference earlier that a deputy was injured during the response.
The situation is improving, mayor says, urging residents not to panic
“There’s no question the situation is getting better,” said Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz at a Wednesday afternoon briefing, according to CNN affiliate WTVG.
At this point, because of the low public threat, officials are choosing to safely let the tank vent rather than intervening to stop the leak. Intervention leaves a slim potential for an explosion, whereas waiting it out has “no negative impact,” Kapszukiewicz said.
Drones monitoring the site about every half-hour continue to show conditions improving and less gas being released, he said. A small seal resembling a “manhole” on the tank was not visible a few hours ago because of gas emission, he said, but in a drone reading around 1 p.m., “you can see that manhole so clearly that they’re reading serial numbers off it,” indicating significantly less gas is escaping.
It remains unclear whether the leak was an explosion, the mayor said. Officials are investigating what may have happened. “We could find out later that it was an explosion. We don’t know that that yet.”
“This is something we should be concerned about. This is not something we should panic about,” he said. “Whatever comes next will be better than what we’ve already been through.”
Mother tapes trash bags over front door amid concerns over leak
An Ohio mother was feeding her newborn just after midnight when she said she noticed a chemical smell inside her home. In a quick effort to protect her children, she sealed her front door with trash bags.
Dakota Solly told CNN she lives within a five-mile radius from the leak in Toledo but didn’t realize how serious it was until she looked outside.
“I looked outside and we couldn’t even see the neighbors outside light right across the street,” she said.
Solly and her husband rushed to get the trash bags and tried to create a seal around the front door.
“As a mom, your first instinct is to protect your children at all costs. Watching what was happening in Toledo, Ohio, and trying to figure out how to keep our babies safe in our own home was terrifying. All you can do is follow the updates, take precautions, and pray that your babies are okay,” she posted on Facebook.
Solly told CNN her family hasn’t noticed the chemical smell throughout the day on Wednesday and that her toddler and newborn seem okay.
Shelter-in-place orders extend to a 3-mile radius from the MC Tank terminal, but those outside the zone who smell an unusual odor have been asked to also stay inside and keep their windows and doors closed. “Smelling an odor doesn’t always mean toxic levels of exposure,” city officials noted.
Firefighter describes large plume and chemical smell in initial dispatch audio
A responding firefighter is heard describing the scene of the Toledo chemical leak in the initial dispatch audio from Lucas County Fire and EMS.
Earlier in the audio, a dispatcher is heard sharing information from a caller who said there was a tank that’s “leaking and venting an unknown chemical,” and that there was “a cloud of chemical in the air.”
A firefighter with Engine 19 then announced they were approaching the area and described a large smoke plume and heavy smell.
“We can smell some type of chemical, and we are nowhere near this plume,” the firefighter said.
Engine 19 later suggests making it a hazmat incident.
Map shows evacuation and shelter-in-place zones
Everyone within a 1-mile radius of the MC Tank terminal in Toledo remain under evacuation orders as the hazardous chemical release continues. Those within a wider, 3-mile radius were asked to shelter in place, keeping windows and doors closed, and turning off ventilation.
Here are some possible health effects of chemical exposure
Breathing vapor from the chemical released by the tank may cause “coughing, throat burning, headache, or shortness of breath,” according to a release from the Toledo-Lucas County Health Department.
Contact with the skin or eyes can lead to severe irritation or chemical burns as well as allergic skin reactions, the department said.
Toledo’s mayor said the leak can cause “a little irritation” to the eyes and a “taste in the back of the throat” for some residents. Short-term exposure to the leak will not cause a long-term disturbance to public health, he added, while cautioning that those with “health challenges” would likely need to take greater precautions.
Residents whose skin or eyes have been exposed should remove contaminated clothing and rinse themselves with clean running water for at least 15 minutes, the department said, adding that if symptoms continue, people should seek medical care immediately.
Those affected should continue to follow instructions from emergency responders and local health officials.
CNN’s Aidan Johnstone contributed to this post.
Evacuation orders remain in effect as chemical release continues from tank, city says
While officials hoped the Toledo chemical leak site would be safe to approach after the 12-hour mark, the tank is continuing to release the industrial chemical, the city told CNN this afternoon.
“As a result, crews were not able to move in as quickly as hoped to mitigate the situation,” city spokesperson Amy Voigt said.
Conditions at the site are improving, with the temperature in the tank continuing to drop and the release slowing down, she said. But the evacuation and shelter-in-place orders remain in effect.
Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz previously said the tank has “potential within 12 hours of the incident to be explosive.” He later told CNN around 4:30 p.m. ET that “we don’t see that as a very real possibility.”
“The situation gets better by the hour: the temperature is going down and the gas is almost done venting,” Kapszukiewicz added.
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.
