Ammonia Leak Sends Nearly 50 Workers To Hospital

COFFEYVILLE, Kan. (AP) -- Two contract workers for Coffeyville Resources remain hospitalized after ammonia leaked from a nitrogen fertilizer plant Monday.<br/><br/>The anhydrous ammonia leak affected more

Tuesday, August 7th 2007, 12:42 pm

By: News On 6

COFFEYVILLE, Kan. (AP) -- Two contract workers for Coffeyville Resources remain hospitalized after ammonia leaked from a nitrogen fertilizer plant Monday.

The anhydrous ammonia leak affected more than 40 workers from the nearby oil refinery.

Flooding at the company's oil refinery last month caused 71,000 gallons of oil to spill.

Eighteen workers were sent to Coffeyville Regional Medical Center for potential respiratory problems. Ammonia can cause swelling of the air passages of the nose, throat and lungs.

A hospital spokeswoman says 16 people were discharged as of Tuesday. The other two are in the acute care unit for observation.

A company spokesman says the leak was caused by a mechanical failure of a pump, and the leak was contained.