Saturday, August 18, 2012

Residents of a rural Saline County neighborhood have been allowed to return home after they were evacuated by an anhydrous ammonia spill. Saline County Sheriff officials say the spill was reported at approximately 2:15 p.m. Saturday afternoon in the 6200 block of South Holmes Road about five miles south of Salina.

Officials say a pickup truck hauling a 6,000-pound tank full of anhydrous ammonia was northbound on Holmes when one of the truck's tires hit a culvert, causing the trailer to flip. The accident caused a value on the tank to break open. About 3,000 pounds of the anhydrous ammonia leaked out into the air.

Two nearby homes were evacuated as a precaution. The driver of the truck was not hurt and no one was hurt or made sick by the chemical spill.

Local firefighters from Rural District 2 and the Salina Fire Department HAZMAT team responded to the scene. They were able to shut off the valve before more ammonia could spill.

By 5 p.m. the displaced residents were allowed to return home and the scene was cleared.