Athena, Ore.-Agrium U.S. and its subsidiaries Crop Production Services and Western Farm Services are being sued by an Athena resident for an anhydrous ammonia release two years ago that caused the evacuation of two schools and the closure of a state highway. The driver of the truck is also named in the suit, which seeks no more than $48,000 for medical expenses, loss of income, and “pain, suffering, fatigue, loss of sleep, and loss of energy.” The driver, who was working for Western Farm Services, had filled a truck with ammonia from a tank, but drove off before disconnecting the filler hose, causing the release of 1,800 gallons of anhydrous ammonia. An elementary school and high school evacuated nearly 600 students during the morning, and the state highway was closed at one point for an hour. Reports at the time were sketchy, but indicated that a man was injured in the release and a Western Farm Services employee was taken to the hospital but suffered no ill effects. Agrium officials said the instigator of the suit, Stacey Hetterley, was not believed to have been injured. Agrium spokeswoman Cindy Andrews said the Hetterley suit was not unexpected because the two-year statute of limitations was running out and that the woman is understandably protecting herself. Andrews also said Agrium has replanted grass and trees the anhydrous ammonia had damaged, and the company is committed to working with Hetterley and everyone else the leak affected. “We are absolutely following up all the way with the people we have impacted,” she said. “This is one we’re still working with.”
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