Ohio Chemical Release Forces Evacuations in Toledo Area

Hundreds of residents in north Toledo, Ohio, were told to leave their homes or stay sealed inside them overnight after a Toledo chemical release at an industrial tank terminal prompted authorities to warn of a potential explosion risk, according to USA Today.

The hazardous-materials release came from a chemical tank at the MC Tank Transport terminal at about 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, and emergency orders remained in effect into Wednesday morning as officials monitored conditions around the site, USA Today reported.

Toledo chemical release: what happened overnight

The substance released was glycidyl methacrylate, an industrial coating product that is stored as a liquid but was released into the air as a gas, according to Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz, who spoke at an Oct. 21 news conference, USA Today reported.

Late Tuesday, officials ordered residents living within a one-mile radius of the terminal — about 983 people — to evacuate, according to USA Today. Overnight, as the situation developed, authorities issued a shelter-in-place order for those within a three-mile radius, advising residents to keep their doors and windows shut and to turn off ventilation systems that draw outdoor air inside.

Authorities were watching for a potential explosion risk connected to the release. The mayor initially described the incident as an explosion of the chemical tank, but city spokesperson Rachel Hart later told USA Today that no explosion had occurred. According to the mayor, there was a 12-hour window of potential explosive risk lasting until about 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, USA Today reported.

Emergency zones and resident guidance

The evacuation and shelter-in-place zones covered a wide swath of north Toledo. Residents inside the one-mile evacuation area were told to leave, while those in the broader three-mile zone were instructed to shelter in place through the night and into Wednesday morning, according to USA Today.

Officials advised people under the shelter-in-place order to stay indoors, keep doors and windows closed, and shut off ventilation equipment that pulls outdoor air into their homes, USA Today reported. The guidance was aimed at limiting exposure to the gas while crews worked around the terminal.

What to know

• Where: the MC Tank Transport terminal in north Toledo, Ohio, where the release began at about 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, according to USA Today.
• What: glycidyl methacrylate, an industrial coating product stored as a liquid but released into the air as a gas, according to Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz at an Oct. 21 news conference.
• Who was affected: residents within a one-mile radius — about 983 people — were ordered to evacuate; those within a three-mile radius were told to shelter in place.
• Safety steps: stay indoors, keep doors and windows shut, and turn off ventilation that draws outdoor air inside, officials advised.
• Health effects: the chemical can cause burning of the eyes, nose, mouth and skin, according to the city; symptoms of overexposure include headache, dizziness, tiredness, nausea and vomiting, USA Today reported.
• Risk context: city officials said smelling the chemical or experiencing irritation does not necessarily mean a person has been exposed to dangerous levels.

Health officials describe the chemical as mainly an irritant

Public health officials sought to put the risk in perspective for residents. “It’s mostly an irritant at this point,” Lucas County Regional Board of Health Commissioner Karim Baroudi said, according to USA Today.

The city said the chemical can cause burning of the eyes, nose, mouth and skin. Symptoms of overexposure include headache, dizziness, tiredness, nausea and vomiting, USA Today reported. At the same time, officials emphasized that smelling the substance or experiencing irritation does not necessarily mean someone has been exposed to dangerous levels.

One deputy injured

One person was injured in connection with the incident: a sheriff’s deputy who was able to transport himself to a hospital for treatment, the mayor said, according to USA Today. No further details about the deputy’s condition were provided in the reporting.

Situation monitored into Wednesday

The orders remained in place into Wednesday morning while crews at the terminal tracked the 12-hour window of potential explosive risk that officials said would extend until about 9:30 a.m., USA Today reported. The evacuation of roughly 983 people within the one-mile radius and the broader shelter-in-place guidance for the three-mile zone made the overnight incident one of the more significant hazmat responses in the Toledo area this year.

Residents in the affected areas were urged to follow instructions from local emergency management and city officials and to check official channels for updates on when the orders would be lifted.