METHANOL LEAKED INTO STORM DRAINS
AND INTO WINONA LAKE AFTER CHEMICAL PLANT FIRE IN WARSAW, INDIANA. 8 INJURED FROM WARSAW CHEMICAL FIRE, 50 HOMES
AND BUSINESSES WERE EVACUATED
The Indiana
DNR reports an unknown amount of chemicals, mostly methanol, made its way into
the storm drains and into Winona Lake, which turned the lake and snow blue and
green from the dyes in the chemicals. It’s possible that thousands of gallons
of chemical and water mixture went into the lake.
FEBRUARY 6,
2015
WARSAW,
Ind. (WANE/ WSBT) –
Crews responded to reports of an explosion at a chemical
plant in Warsaw Friday morning. Warsaw Chemical, located at 2300 E. Durbin St.
is well known for producing car washing products.
Two fire
departments arrived at the plant at 11:15 a.m., according to WSBT-TV. Residents
within 1,000 feet north and east of the plant were asked to evacuate. The area
remains under evacuation until further notice and until air quality tests have
been performed.
The Indiana
DNR reports an unknown amount of chemicals, mostly methanol, made its way into
the storm drains and into Winona Lake, which turned the lake and snow blue and
green from the dyes in the chemicals. It’s possible that thousands of gallons
of chemical and water mixture went into the lake.
Methanol is
poisonous to the central nervous system and may cause blindness, coma, and
death. Methanol has a high toxicity in
humans. If as little as 10 mL of pure methanol is ingested, for example,
it can break down into formic acid, which can cause permanent blindness by
destruction of the optic nerve, and 30 mL is potentially fatal.
Lt. Kip
Shuter of the Warsaw Police Department said eight people were injured. Out of
those eight people, five were with the Warsaw City Waste Water Treatment and
two were firemen. Their injuries included burning eyes and lungs. One person
was also treated for burns on his hands.
Each person
was decontaminated and taken to a hospital for further treatment.
Police said
run-off from the fire went down the hill into Winona Lake.
Shuter says
about 50 homes and businesses within 1,000 feet of the plant were evacuated.
The evacuation was lifted around 3:30 p.m.