Ammonia Leak From Tanker Truck In US Hospitalises Dozens, Hundreds Evacuated

A leaking tanker truck emitted dangerous amounts of ammonia gas in a hotel parking lot in the town of Weatherford, in US’ Oklahoma, sending several dozen people to the hospital and forcing hundreds of residents to evacuate.

The shelter-in-place order was lifted on Thursday morning. Hours before the order was lifted, firefighters wearing gas masks went door-to-door in Weatherford and woke people up and told them to leave because of fumes from the anhydrous ammonia leak.

Anhydrous ammonia is used as a farm fertilizer to help corn and wheat grow. The colorless gas has a pungent, suffocating odor and can be deadly, especially at high concentrations, or cause breathing problems and burns to the skin and eyes.

At least 36 people were hospitalised and

were treated in its emergency room, according to officials from the Weatherford Regional Hospital who spoke to the Associated Press.

One person was admitted in good condition and 10 were taken to hospitals in Oklahoma City, Darin Farrell, president of Weatherford Regional Hospital said.

Police Chief Angelo Orefice earlier said that four patients were in critical condition.

The tanker truck began billowing ammonia late Wednesday, causing those in the immediate area to suffer from respiratory distress, city officials said at a news conference.

At least 500 to 600 people went to a shelter early Thursday while others were ordered to remain inside their homes for several hours. Some nursing homes were evacuated, and schools were closed for the day.

The driver of the truck carrying the gas had parked behind a Holiday Inn Express to get a room there for the evening, Orefice said. The cause seemed to be a mechanical failure on a valve or a faulty seal, the police chief said.

The cleanup in Weatherford — a city of 12,000 people about 70 miles (113 kilometers) west of Oklahoma City — could take several days, he further added.

“We pretty much got a lot of of this stuff diluted right now,” Orefice said, adding that authorities were working with environmental officials.