A chemical gas leak from a tank car near Cincinnati has sparked fears of an explosion and evacuation orders for people within a mile of the incident.
About 210 households in Whitewater Township, about 22 miles west-northwest of Cincinnati in an area near the city’s airport and the Kentucky state line, were under evacuation orders, officials said Tuesday night. Other residents were under recommendations to stay indoors, they said at a news conference.
Shortly after 1 p.m., Little Miami Joint Fire and Rescue District Chief Mike Siefke reported during two news conferences that colorless, odorless gas was leaking from the tanker truck onto State Route 128 and U.S. Route 50.
Authorities have determined that the chemical is styrene, he said. It is used in the production of plastic, rubber, fiberglass and other structural materials.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the chemical can irritate the respiratory system, cause headaches and disorient people who breathe it in. Long-term exposure has been linked to certain cancers, the CDC says, but it is not known to be a direct killer.
The threat to the community is that the tank of the rail car has heated up and will explode if it continues, Siefke said. Firefighters doused the container with water in an attempt to reverse the temperature increase, he said.
“This is going to be a long, long event,” Siefke said.
Environmental officials conducted part-per-million measurements in the community to determine the impact of the spill, he said.
He said some residents may have been treated for unknown ailments, but the number of patients and the exact nature of their possible injuries have not been disclosed.
The area’s public schools, the Three Rivers Local School District, suspended instruction Tuesday morning and canceled all classes and activities scheduled for Wednesday, the district’s website said.
It was not yet clear who owns the car or its cargo, officials said Tuesday night. A spokesman for Central Railroad of Indiana said in a statement that it was working with emergency responders.
State Route 128 and U.S. Route 50, which carry motorists from coast to coast, were closed in both directions near the site, the state Department of Transportation said.
Whitewater Township and Hamilton County officials say the situation is likely to remain like this through the night as they await input from environmental agencies.
“We’re waiting for the partners who are addressing this issue to come up with a strategy,” said Andrew Knapp, Hamilton County communications director.
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
