Updated at 7:22 p.m.
Univeter Road has been re-opened.
CANTON, GA–
An acid spill at the Pilgrim's Pride chicken processing plant near Canton shut down Univeter Road, Interstate 575 and forced evacuations earlier this afternoon. Four people were taken to Northside Hospital Cherokee with breathing difficulty.
The situation was contained and Univeter Road reopened about 7:15 p.m.
Hazardous materials personnel are evaluating how to clean up the leaking chemical, sheriff's office spokesman Jay Baker said just after 5:30 p.m. The spill occurred at approximately 2 p.m. as FedEx delivered a shipment of organic peroxide type F to the Pilgrim's Pride chicken plant at 654 Univeter Road.
The truck contains six, 300-gallon containers of the liquid, which when highly diluted is used for cleaning in the plant. Hazmat workers are concerned other containers may begin to leak as well and are evaluating how to attack the problem and effect the cleanup.
Two people from the plant experience breathing difficulty shortly after the spill and were taken to the hospital. Also two construction workers along Ga. Highway 5 that the truck passed before arriving at the plant also experienced breathing difficulties and were taken to the hospital, Baker said.
"They had some type of chemical they were delivering – it's called Organic Peroxide Type F – and it appears it began to leak as they were delivering, right as they got to the location," Baker said. "It requires a certain amount of feet around the area for people and things to be evacuated."
A HazMat team, Cherokee County Fire and Emergency Services, sheriff's deputies and Canton Police are on-scene of the acid spill near Pilgrim's Pride chicken plant. Staff / Thomas Hartwell
Baker said 252 employees working at Pilgrim's Pride, as well as surrounding businesses and homes have been evacuated. A HazMat team, Cherokee County Fire and Emergency Services, sheriff's deputies and Canton Police are on-scene.
Interstate 575 was shut down at exit 14 northbound and exit 16 southbound for more than an hour, and Univeter Road remains closed.
Motorists are being asked to avoid the areas shut down to traffic. It is not yet known how long cleanup will take, and no injuries have been reported.
According to data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association's website, ingestion of Organic Peroxide Type F may be toxic and contact with it "may cause irritation to skin, eyes, and mucous membranes." The NOAA data also says the chemical's exposure to "organic compounds, heat or shock may result in an intense fire or explosion."
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CANTON, Ga. -
Roadways around a Canton chicken processing plant after back open after an acid spill.
NewsChopper 2 flew over the scene at the Pilgrim’s Pride chicken plant Friday and showed images of a FedEx truck leaking what was identified as organic peroxide type F.
The truck was making a delivery of six 300-gallon containers of the bleaching agent to the plant on Univeter Road.
Baker told Channel 2's Richard Elliot that as soon the rig pulled into the front gate, employees realized just how serious that leak was.
“They knew immediately they had to evacuate almost 300 employees that were here. That was done quickly. They shut down Univeter Road. They decided we needed to shut down 575, which was done for about an hour. We have since opened up 575,” said Jay Baker with the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office.
Please share! Univeter Rd is shut down at Chattin Dr in Canton due to an acid spill at a nearby industrial park. Avoid the area if possible. — Cherokee County (@Cherokee_GA) September 21, 2018
The spill put a dent in the Friday afternoon commute, backing up traffic for miles in the area.
“It’s pretty bad. Pretty bad timing,” Baker said.
Elliot learned that two employees at Pilgrim’s Pride complained of breathing issues and were transported to an area hospital.
About 300 Pilgrim's Pride employees were evacuated. Two employees were transported with breathing issues. Two construction workers at a site along Highway 5 were transported with breathing issues, too. pic.twitter.com/GeQbt6AtjO — Richard Elliot (@RElliotWSB) September 21, 2018
But then, deputies learned that FedEx truck also leaked that organic peroxide up Highway 5, past a construction site and two workers there were also transported to an area hospital with breathing issues.
Hazmat crews continue to work the scene, but the Sheriff’s Office says it could be hours before they get into the tractor-trailer, contain the leak and see if any of the other containers are leaking, too.
“Apparently this is a bad substance and it will take quite a bit to get it removed and cleaned from that truck,” Baker said. Univeter Road reopened just before 7:30 p.m