Hazmat crews called to anhydrous ammonia leak in Clark County

UPDATE @ 11:30 p.m.:

Lower Valley Pike is back open and an order for residents to take shelter has been lifted following an anhydrous ammonia leak at Sunrise Cooperative.

“Crews were working alongside the owners of the property. We were able to determine it was a malfunction of the tank; it was a minor malfunction,” Bethel Twp. Fire Chief Jacob King said.

There were no injuries and the leak was determined to pose no danger, he said.

UPDATE @ 10:40 p.m.:

Lower Valley Pike between Snider Road and Lammes Lane remains closed and residents in the vicinity have been ordered to stay indoors with closed windows tonight for an anhydrous ammonia leak at Sunrise Cooperative, 8721 Lower Valley Pike.

Crews were called to the 8000 block of Lower Valley Pike by a passerby who reported a strong odor of ammonia, Bethel Twp. Fire Chief Jacob King said.

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“Upon arrival crews located two workers here on site. They advised that they had a significant leak from one of their tanks they use to spread fertilizer with. It’s a double tank filled with anhydrous ammonia. We’re looking at about 2,000 pounds to 3,000 pounds of anhydrous ammonia that could possibly leak out into the environment.”

King said hazmat crews are on scene and will work to determine what is causing the leak.

Anhydrous ammonia is the most common chemical leaked in the United States because it is used so widely in the agricultural industry.

UPDATE @ 10:20 p.m.:

A four-person decontamination crew was dispatched around 10:10 p.m. to Sunrise Co-op in the 8700 block of Lower Valley Pike because of the ammonia leak.

FIRST REPORT

Lower Valley Pike between Snider Road and Lammes Lane is shut down for an anhydrous ammonia leak.

Hazmat crews were called to the incident at a local farm.

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According to initial reports, there was a high-pressure leak coming from a 1,450 gallon tank and area residents were told to shelter.

We have a crew on the way and will update this report as we learn details.

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