On Thursday night, an ammonia leak at a food processing plant in Rhode Island made more than a dozen people sick, resulting in hospitalizations for several, including two individuals in critical condition.
The state’s Department of Environmental Management reported that hazardous materials teams were engaged in ventilating the Infinity Fresh Kitchen facility in North Kingston, which operates in conjunction with Taylor Farms, following an anhydrous ammonia leak that occurred around 6 p.m.
As a result of the leak, 13 individuals were admitted to the hospital, with two of them listed in critical condition.
According to North Kingstown Fire Chief John Linacre, people exited the building expressing concerns about the smell of ammonia, along with eye and throat irritation. He clarified that there was no liquid ammonia leak, only vapor present.
The Department of Environmental Management stated that a full evacuation wasn’t required since technicians managed to shut down the ammonia system before it escalated further.
The cause of the leak is still under investigation. Linacre speculated that a loose valve on the roof might have created an opening for air intake, allowing ammonia to enter the facility.
Previously, Taylor Farms had faced legal issues, having been fined $650,000 in 2020 for an ammonia leak that affected 15 employees at the same site.
In a similar incident, last week, 36 people were hospitalized, including four in critical condition, due to an ammonia leak from a tanker truck in a small Oklahoma town, which led to the evacuation of about 600 residents for several hours.
Moreover, a 2022 incident in a Massachusetts food factory involved an HVAC contractor causing a leak that resulted in one fatality and another individual falling ill.
Exposure to ammonia can lead to severe respiratory issues, burns, and inflammation. High concentrations can even be life-threatening.
