White Hall, Ill.-As much as 20 percent of this small Greene County community of less than 2,500 was evacuated during an anhydrous ammonia tank incident late the evening of Nov. 28, according to authorities. White Hall Police Chief Rob McMillen told Green Markets that an accidental release while a farmer was fertilizing his field touched off the alarm, which ended up routing up to 500 of those living only 100 yards away in 100 of the nearby homes. McMillen said most of those made their own way to city hall only a half mile away; when fumes spread to that location, they were moved later to a rural health clinic. He said the second move was deemed necessary when a light wind blowing from the southeast brought the fumes into the city hall area. Several in the group were brought in by EMTs complaining of breathing difficulties and were treated with oxygen, he reported. Two or three who needed additional treatment were taken to a clinic. McMillen said the cause of the ammonia leak was first thought to be a broken hose, but that was ruled out; fire department and county agriculture investigators are now looking at a malfunction in one of the connections. “Fortunately,” he added, “the farmer who was fertilizing a field that had just been harvested was able to outrun the fumes and was not injured.” Emergency responders kept their distance from the leaking tank because as volunteers they didn’t have the training or equipment to deal with the situation, McMillen reported. After the tank emptied itself it was hauled away by the owner, TriCounty FS.
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