Originally published on SPRINGFIELD NEWS-SUN
One person suffered a minor injury following a chemical leak at the Springfield Dole plant today, an official with the Springfield Fire Division said.
Fire and hazmat crews were dispatched at 10:45 a.m. to 600 Benjamin Drive after reports of a chemical leak at the Dole plant, Springfield Fire Division Battalion Chief Jeremy Linn said.
He said anhydrous ammonia was leaking inside the Dole building in one of their mechanical rooms.
“There was one minor injury that was transported,” Linn said. “That gentlemen has been released from the hospital.”
The leak was controlled in about two hours, he said.
“With any hazmat it is not a very fast approach. There are very measured steps that we take,” Linn said.
Dole employees evacuated the building and stood in the plant’s parking lot.
Linn said he does not know if employees returned to work today, but said many employees exited the parking lot after they started the evacuation.
Dole is expected to release a statement today, he told the News-Sun.
We are working to learn more and will update this story as details are released.
