Springdale, Ark. — Two ammonia releases caused by human error at poultry processing plants here only minutes apart early last week, Monday, Feb. 6, put eight employees in the hospital overnight with minor skin burns and respiratory injuries. “It was ironic that we had almost-simultaneous events,” reported Assistant Springdale Fire Chief Kevin McDonald. “We’ve never had that before. It was only about 20 minutes between the two calls.” McDonald said approximately 40 emergency responders were on the scene from Springdale and two surrounding communities. He said the first incident, at the Cargill Honeysuckle Turkey plant, was a major release caused by a third-party contractor working outside at the chillers making a wrong cut into an ammonia pipe they thought had been isolated. “Some permeated into the facility, but for most part it went into the atmosphere and that was the reason there were no injuries and no employees being transported,” he reported. “But while we were at Cargill we got a call about another release at the Tyson Berry Street plant approximately two miles directly south.” McDonald described the Tyson situation as very minor and also due to human error involving opening and closing ammonia valves. Tyson maintenance workers quickly closed the valve and stopped the release. The small amount that was released, however, was contained inside the building and had a more significant impact on the employees. For that reason 10 employees were transported to Northwest Med Center, where eight of them were admitted and kept overnight for evaluation. All were expected to be released the next day.
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