City officials in Toledo, Ohio, kept a damaged chemical tank venting Thursday as they cut the evacuation radius to a quarter-mile, though hundreds of residents remained away from their homes.
The city reduced the boundary from one mile to half a mile Wednesday, then to a quarter-mile by Thursday morning. Officials also lifted a three-mile shelter-in-place order Wednesday.
The city and MC Tank Transport Inc. identified glycidyl methacrylate as the chemical involved. The compound is used in making coatings, paints and plastics. State officials said a transfer error led to the release.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said failed containment attempts left Toledo waiting for the reaction inside the tank to conclude. The agency is monitoring air near the evacuation area and said it would share its findings with health officials.
Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz said the risk of an explosion kept emergency crews, including hazardous-materials specialists, from approaching the tank. He also said one first responder had been injured.
Toledo resident Travis Williams told CBS News he “woke up choking” from strong fumes. CBS News also reported residents described irritation affecting their eyes and breathing, along with headaches and nausea; an area hospital was treating 35 patients. Williams said he could barely see from his home to the curb and described the scene as “like a movie.”
The leak also disrupted work at a nearby Stellantis Jeep plant, as EconoTimes previously reported. CBS News cited a May tank rupture in Orange County, California, involving another methacrylate compound; thousands were displaced before a crack in the overheating tank eased pressure and ended the explosion risk.
City officials urged residents to air out their homes, wash their hands and watch for coughing or eye irritation among people and pets. The EPA said it would provide its air-monitoring findings to health officials.
