WEATHERFORD, Okla. — Nearly 50 people are hospitalized after an ammonia leak in Weatherford.
Police said a semi-truck driver hauling the hazardous material noticed the leak and called 911 around 10 p.m. on Nov. 12.
Fire, ambulance, highway patrol, and military agencies responded. Authorities established a shelter, and hazmat is working to get the situation under control.
People are urged to turn off their AC/Heating systems to keep the chemical out their homes. Businesses in the area are closed and all Weatherford Public Schools are closed.
What is ammonia?
2 News checked the CDC to get a breakdown on the threat ammonia is when exposed:
It is a toxic clear gas or liquid. Ammonia is made up of nitrogen and hydrogen. It is an important source of nitrogen, which is needed by plants and animals. It is widely used in fertilizers and pharmaceuticals.
Normal amounts of ammonia in the environment do not cause health effects in humans. Exposure to high levels of ammonia may hurt your skin, eyes, throat, and lungs and cause coughing and burns. Lung damage and death may occur after exposure to very high levels of ammonia.
Effects depend on how the person was exposed, how much they were exposed to, and how long they were exposed for. Some people with asthma or other chronic lung diseases may be more sensitive to breathing ammonia than others.
Symptoms of exposure to higher levels of ammonia include the following:
- Abdominal pain, nausea, or vomiting
- Coughing or coughing up white or pink colored fluid
- Skin blisters, pain, or redness
- Burning feeling in the nose, throat, lungs, and eyes
- Narrowing of the throat and swelling
- Permanent or temporary blindness
- Frostbite (if exposed to liquified ammonia)
- Exposure to very high levels of ammonia can lead to death.
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