Ohio chemical leak sent 60 people to hospital; employee error blamed as investigation continues

How the leak began

The leak occurred Tuesday night at MC Tank Transport. The mayor said an employee introduced a temperature level to the tank while trying to transfer liquid, triggering a chemical reaction.

The company said the tank held glycidyl methacrylate, an industrial chemical used to improve the performance of some plastics, paints and coatings. The mayor said some questions remain unanswered as the investigation continues.

Evacuations and site checks

Hundreds of people were forced to leave their homes after the leak. Evacuation orders were lifted once the company had finished venting the ruptured tank. That work allowed a hazardous-materials team to enter the site and test safety levels. Toledo Fire and Rescue Battalion Chief Blake Molnar said officials felt confident the site was safe.

Patients and health concerns

Dr Brian Kaminski, vice president of medical affairs for ProMedica hospitals, said about 60 patients received treatment. Most had relatively minor symptoms, while a small number with underlying health conditions were admitted.

Kaminski said all patients were expected to recover. He also said there had been no fire or explosion, and that the chemical reaction had run its course. Based on data available to officials, Kapszukiewicz said the airborne chemical concentration had not reached levels expected to have a long-term meaningful impact on human health.