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Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz said during a news conference
that the venting of the tank that ruptured at MC Tank Terminal
on Tuesday was finally completed late Thursday night, allowing a
hazmat team to enter the site and test safety levels.
“At this time, we do feel confident that the site is safe,"
Toledo Fire and Rescue Battalion Chief Blake Molnar said.
The rupture happened late Tuesday night. MC Tank Transport, the
owner of the site, said the tank contained glycidyl methacrylate,
which it described as “an industrial chemical used to make
certain plastics, paints and coatings perform better.” Hundreds
of people were initially forced from their homes.
Dr. Brian Kaminski, vice president of medical affairs for
ProMedica hospitals, said about 60 patients arrived at hospitals
for treatment, most suffering relatively minor symptoms. A small
number of patients who had underlying health conditions were
admitted, and all patients were expected to recover, he said.
The chemical leak happened when an employee of the company
“introduced a temperature level to the tank in the process of
trying to transfer the liquid" that caused a chemical reaction,
the mayor said. The company has “accepted responsibility” for
what happened, the mayor said.
“There was no fire, there was no explosion. There was a very
serious chemical reaction, which now happily has run its course,
and we’re now finally able to return to some level of normalcy
here in our community," he said.
Based on data that officials have seen so far, the amount of the
chemical in the air didn't reach levels high enough to have “a
long-term meaningful impact on human health,” the mayor said.
There are questions that remain unanswered, and the
investigation is ongoing, he said.
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