FOND DU LAC, WI (WTAQ) — A gas leak at a Fond du Lac dairy facility could have ended a whole lot worse than it did.
The Fond du Lac Fire Department deals with a lot of fires, but when a yellowish green gas was seen coming from the Milk Specialties facility late Thursday morning, it presenting a unique–and extremely dangerous–challenge.
“We do a lot of firefighting,” said Fond du Lac Assistant Fire Chief Erick Garrison. “We don’t have many hazardous material incidents like this, but we do have a very well trained team.
That well trained team was put into action immediately. Evacuating several blocks and suiting up to head into the facility to determine the source of the problem.
“After our arrival, we immediately started an evacuation route,” Garrison said. “The only thing we did know for sure is that there was about 4,000 gallons of a strong acid housed in one of the bulk tanks, and that’s where the plume was coming from.”
Initial instrument analysis determined that the chemical was some type of chlorine gas. Chlorine gas is extremely dangerous to humans.
“It’s very corrosive and very harmful. Even at low levels it’s very dangerous and can cause permanent damage if you breathe it in,” explained Garrison.
That’s because the gas mixes with water in the lungs to form hydrochloric acid, immediately dissolving living tissue.
With the help of those who work at the facility, communicating via radio, the haz-mat crew was able to shut off a number of valves and release a neutralization agent in order to end the discharge. Nobody was hurt. It’s not clear precisely why the gas leaked.
