Explosion of Ohio chemical tank containing glycidyl methacrylate forces evacuations, raises fears of another explosion

TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) — A chemical tank exploded in Toledo, Ohio, forcing hundreds of residents to evacuate their homes or shelter in place for fear of a toxic release, and the mayor warned Wednesday it could still be explosive.

A sheriff’s deputy was injured when he responded to the explosion around 9:30 p.m. Tuesday and was able to get himself to the hospital, Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz said at a news conference Wednesday morning.

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MC Tank Transport said the tank contained glycidyl methacrylate, which it described as “an industrial chemical used to improve the performance of certain plastics, paints and coatings.”

Kapszukiewicz said the chemical is liquid inside the tank but becomes a gas when released. Video from the area shows a large plume in the sky.

“There are still concerns that the tank is emitting this chemical and that it could become explosive within 12 hours of the incident,” the mayor said, adding that it can hold 5,500 gallons of the chemical in liquid form. He said authorities did not know what caused the explosion.

People who come into contact with glycidyl methacrylate may feel as if their eyes, nose, mouth and skin are burning, the city’s fire department said. Overexposure can cause headaches, dizziness, fatigue, nausea and vomiting.

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“It’s really toxic if you touch it, if you ingest it,” Karim Baroudi, director of the Toledo-Lucas County Health Department, said at the news conference. “Now we are trying to determine how toxic the air people are breathing is so we can give better advice.”

Baroudi advised residents to close their windows and that those who “experience eye irritation and difficulty breathing, simply take a shower for now.” Fire officials said those experiencing symptoms should contact a medical professional.

First responders, hazmat teams and security teams will not approach the tank due to the risk of additional explosions and will reassess conditions later Wednesday morning, Kapszukiewicz said.

The city ordered residents within a kilometer radius of the explosion to evacuate their homes and businesses Tuesday evening. More than 900 people live in the evacuation zone and they were all thought to have left by Wednesday morning, the mayor said. A shelter-in-place order has been issued for residents beyond the evacuation zone within a 3-mile (4.8-kilometer) radius.

There was heavy fog early Wednesday in the city of about 265,000, hampering visibility and delaying efforts to use drones to monitor the site. Kapszukiewicz reassured residents outside the evacuation zone that the fog was not linked to the chemical explosion. The National Weather Service said the fog should dissipate by mid-morning.

Arkansas-based MC Tank Transport said in a statement that the company was working with firefighters and other emergency authorities. Company representatives were on their way to Toledo, Kapszukiewicz said.

“Our immediate and overriding concern is the safety of area residents, first responders and our employees,” the statement said. “Our immediate and overriding concern is the safety of area residents, first responders and our employees.”

McCormack reported from Concord, New Hampshire. Associated Press writer Dave Collins in Hartford, Connecticut, contributed.