Anhydrous Ammonia Leak
Anhydrous Ammonia Leak Side Effects May Result In Fatality Lawsuits
Anhydrous Ammonia Leak | Lawyers, Lawsuits | Side Effects: Fatality, Harsh Burning Sensation, Bad Taste, Stinging In Mouth, Headaches, Nausea, Difficulty Breathing
Helping Victims Hurt in a Toxic Rail Car Leak in Minnesota On March 17, 2007, authorities evacuated over 100 residents in southern Lake City, Minnesota after fumes from a rail car leaking anhydrous ammonia became overpowering. The leaking rail car was discovered in Lake City and moved three miles south into an unpopulated area, authorities said, but the fumes kept building.
The leaking car was part of a 32-car Iowa, Chicago & Eastern Railroad train operating on Canadian Pacific tracks, according to Jeff Johnson, a Canadian Pacific spokesman. Eleven of the cars in the train were carrying hazardous materials, but only the one tanker was leaking. Officials told reporters a cap on the tanker car apparently failed. State, city and railroad officials said the 28,000-gallon tanker is an older model. The ICE crew did not have a replacement cap on board and one wasn't readily available in the area, they said.
One resident told a local newspaper she went to let her dog out at 6:30 a.m. and smelled a faint chemical odor. Five minutes later, she went to let her pet back indoors and had to cover her face with her jacket in order to breathe. Several residents in southern Lake City complained of feeling sick, and people on the north end of the town on Lake Pepin also reported headaches and nausea, the newspaper reported.
Anhydrous ammonia can be extremely toxic and may be fatal if inhaled. The vapors are irritating and corrosive, according to the federal Emergency Response Guidebook. Symptoms of exposure may include a harsh burning sensation in the nose, a bad taste or stinging in the mouth, as well as headaches, nausea and difficulty breathing. The effects of inhalation may be delayed.
Ammonia fumes were detected as far as 15 miles north of Lake City.
Legal Help For Victims Affected By Anhydrous Ammonia Leak
If you or a loved one live in the Lake City, Minnesota area and suffered serious health ailments as a result of the toxic rail car leak, you may be entitled to compensation. Please fill out the form at the right for a free case review by a qualified attorney or call us at 1-800-LAW-INFO (1-800-529-4636).
