By Mike Ullery
TIPP CITY — Firefighters and EMS from Tipp City responded to a report of three subjects with chemical burns at the Meijer Distribution plant on Thursday evening.
The call came in around 9:48 p.m. Arriving units found three victims with “inhalation injuries from a chemical reaction,” according to Tipp City Fire and EMS Chief Cameron Haller.
Haller said the affected area was isolated to an area approximately 50 feet in radius.
Three people were removed from the affected area and treated.
“All three had chemical inhalation symptoms,” said Haller, “and on had a minor chemical burn. Decontamination was initiated on all three patients. All patients were stable. Troy Medic 11 transported one patient, and Tipp City Medic 31 the other two.”
All three patients were on-site contractors, not Meijer employees.
Miami County Hazardous Materials team chief was contacted around 10 p.m. and a HazMat team responded to the scene.
Tipp City on scene personnel were able to confirm that toilet bowl cleaner and bleach containers were compromised in the packing process. The two chemicals then mixed. The mixture of the two gases creates chlorine gas. Operations at the facility were stopped. The HazMat team collected information, donned the appropriate personal protective equipment and made entry.
Haller said the “cause of the incident was not intentional and the situation was contained by 2 a.m.”
Mutual aid was received from Troy, West Milton FD, Union Township EMS, Elizabeth Township and Bethel.
No further injuries were reported.
