Emergency crews in North Attleboro were summoned Tuesday morning to an industrial site where an ammonia leak injured seven workers, one critically. The incident occurred at the JT Inman building on Larson Way, as reported by WHDH. North Attleboro Fire Chief Chris Coleman said the workers were engaged in activity near the ammonia line when it was inadvertently cut. Despite the tank being out of service, it was filled with approximately 2,000 gallons of ammonia.
Following the leak, first responders assessed the situation, and six workers sustained minor injuries, while another remains in critical condition, the extent of Coleman's statement to the press. The area of the leak was evacuated, with one nearby business also cleared out as a cautionary measure, though Coleman assured there was no wider threat to the public. According to a Boston 25 News report, firefighting units were quick to cut off the ammonia from outside the building.
Within hours of the leak, hazmat teams prepared to enter the building garbed in Level-A, fully-encapsulating suits necessary for handling such toxic substances, "They are fully-encapsulating suits and they can go in and assess the atmosphere," Coleman told reporters. The aim was to determine the extent of the ammonia concentration indoors, and establish whether the leak presented a gaseous or liquid ammonia threat, as the substance poses risks of toxic inhalation and can be corrosive in its liquid state.
Investigations into the cause and full impact of the leak are ongoing, with emergency services putting forth a considerable effort into containment and decontamination protocols. Firefighters set up decontamination stations, which aided in the cleaning off process for crews attending the hazardous scene. "We’re in the very beginning stages of what’s going to be a very elongated operation," Coleman noted, indicating that the response to the incident had several layers and would take considerable time to resolve.
