East Tulsa Plant Evacuated After Ammonia Leak

NewsOn6.com

TULSA, Oklahoma -- Tulsa Firefighters responded to a substantial ammonia leak in east Tulsa Thursday afternoon.

It happened at American Cold Storage on 145th East Avenue near Admiral about 3 p.m.

The leak happened on the south side of the plant, which was evacuated after several employees started feeling symptoms of ammonia and started smelling it.  It's unknown how many employees were inside at the time.

Tim Smallwood, with the Tulsa Fire Department, the leak was caused by a valve that was open or damaged. Smallwood said no one was seriously hurt.  He said once the leak is stopped, it will clear out through ventilation.

Crews of firefighters are rotating in and out, and paramedics are monitoring them to make sure they are ok.

The streets surrounding the plant remained open to traffic. Wind was blowing from the south, and at one point, the odor could be smelled on Admiral.

Tulsa police relocated off Admiral due to the chemical drift.