Following the release of the chemical glycidyl methacrylate in Toledo on Tuesday, Oct. 20, the matchup between the Toledo and Western Michigan football on Saturday will move forward, according to WMU Athletics spokesperson Adam Bodnar.
Toledo said there is currently no known impact to its campus located at 2801 W. Bancroft Street, as of 9:30 a.m. Wednesday.
All operations, including the game against WMU, remain unchanged.
WMU (5-2, 3-0 MAC) will play Toledo (5-2, 2-1) at Toledo's Glass Bowl stadium at noon on Saturday in a conference matchup.
Evacuation orders were issued for about 300 residents within a half-mile radius of the incident on the evening of Tuesday after an explosion on Progress Avenue in a chemical tank at MC Tank Terminal, according
to Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz.
The chemical, an industrial coating product, in its natural form is as a liquid but it was released as a gas in the explosion.
It is an irritant that can cause burning of the eyes, nose, mouth, and skin, according to Toledo officials. Headaches, dizziness, tiredness, nausea and vomiting are also possible.
Residents in the area may also notice an odd smell and taste in the air.
The cause of the explosion has not yet been announced.
Shortly after, the evacuation order was issued to 983 residents within a 1-mile radius of the incident site and issued a shelter-in-place order to residents within a 3-mile radius of the site.
"UToledo Public Safety will continue to receive updates from city and county officials as the situation develops," a statement posted to Facebook reads.
Jalen Williams is a trending reporter at the Detroit Free Press. Contact him at jawilliams1@freepress.com.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Toledo vs WMU football game to proceed after chemical blast
