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Ammonia dumped by a farm tractor at Beach Park early Thursday sent at least 37 people to hospitals, including seven who would be in critical condition around noon.
The spill began around 4:30 am in the area of Green Bay Road and 29th Street, Sgt. Christopher Covelli, spokesman for the Lake County Sheriff's Office.
Investigators believe that one tractor was pulling a pair of 2-tonne tanks containing anhydrous ammonia when they started to flee, and Mr. Covelli said the investigators did not think the vehicle was involved in a road accident.
"Basically, the substance has been blown into the air," said Covelli, "which has released the plume into the air, which is extremely dangerous."
This substance can cause "loss of consciousness and, in the worst case, even death," said Covelli.
According to Covelli, among the wounded, there were emergency personnel intervening on the scene.
"The deputies arrived at the scene – our first deputies having responded – (and they) got out of their vehicles to try to help the people who were on the scene, including the people who were lying on the ground "said Covelli. by the vapors that were in the air.
"These deputies had to withdraw and leave the area. Both were then transported to a local hospital, treated and released. "
Covelli added that 37 people in total were transported to hospitals "because of the inhalation of these toxic fumes. Of these 37 people, seven are in critical condition with what are considered life-threatening injuries. "
Pamela Burnett, 57, said she was going to work at a grocery store in Kenosha after crossing the toxic gas cloud.
Burnett, an unincorporated resident in Warren Township, said she was on Green Bay Road when she saw the car in front of her brake and that she began to slow down. She added that she could see a cloud, but she did not know if it was smoke or dust coming from someone who was taking off on the side of the road.
"It kept getting bigger and bigger – it was not going away – I tried to slow down and not get through it," she said, but it was too late.
"It was not smoke. I thought it was some kind of chemical, "Burnett added. "The next thing I knew, I could not breathe.It was such a strong smell.I thought, 'Lord, that's it.I've finished now.'
Addressing a group of media gathered near the scene, Burnett said that she had left the road by sniffing and that she was coughing and had called 911. She had added to having seen a man lying on the road nearby.
Burnett was transported to the Condell Lawyer Medical Center in Libertyville, and she said that a police officer was also going to seek treatment.
According to officials on site, preliminary information revealed that anhydrous ammonia had sank while the tractor was traveling on Green Bay Road in the area of 29th Street. The victims were transported to Libertyville's Advocate Condell Medical Center at Vista East Medical Center in Waukegan. Kenosha St. Catherine Hospital, Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital and the Great Lakes Naval Station.
Covelli said that a total of 11 firefighters and three police officers had been transported, including a firefighter / EMT from the Newport Township Fire Protection District who was in critical condition.
According to Covelli, most of the victims were determined to live in "non-life threatening" conditions, and dozens of others had been assessed by paramedics but had not been transported.
Mike Galllo, a division chief of the Lake Forest Fire Department, said it would appear that a loss of value is related to the two containers pulled by the tractor.
Gallo added that farmers often use this chemical to aerate the soil and that at 9:00, both tanks had been emptied of their ammonia.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that anhydrous ammonia is a colorless gas that can cause breathing difficulties, burns, blisters and that is lethal if it is breathed in high concentrations.
Several schools have been closed and a perimeter of one kilometer has been set up. Residents were asked to stay there by closing the windows and turning off their heating or air conditioning. Around 10 am, the call of the on-site shelter was lifted.
Kenosha's Terence Jackson, who runs a 7-Eleven at the corner of York House and Green Bay Streets, said he was approaching 21st Street in Zion when he realized that something was wrong. Was not going as ambulances, police cars and vehicle drivers had begun to zoom in. him before 5:30
"I have seen lights everywhere, and I thought it was an accident," Jackson said, adding that he had chosen an alternative route to get to work, but that "there was no other way around. at 6:30 he had a headache, sore throat, and a little nausea.
"I did not feel like that when I left home," Jackson said. "Maybe I'll be checked, but I do not know."
At 9:30, the first responders from the regional departments were still going door-to-door in a subdivision located just one kilometer from the accident site. They asked if people had their windows open early in the morning and they felt good.
"My windows were open the night before, but not last night, thank God," said Annalisa Iskalis, who lives in the subdivision located near Green Bay Road in Beach Park, just over one kilometer from place of the oil spill.
Iskalis added that she had heard the police in the street with a megaphone before 5 am, but she could not understand what they were saying because she was still waking up. She received a phone call soon after and found out what had happened, she said.
Her 10-year-old daughter is attending St. Patrick's School in Wadsworth, which has not closed, but Iskalis has made the decision to keep her still at home, she said.
"I just felt better staying inside, because I did not want to go through anything dangerous," Iskalis said. "It was a scary start to the day."
Robert Turner stated that he had heard about the oil spill that had occurred near his home at Beach Park from his sister who had watched a report on television and had called to make sure he was safe.
Turner drives a school bus to School District 67 of Lake Forest Elementary School and immediately called his boss to tell him that he would not be going to work because of the chemical spill located two blocks away. his home.
"I'm 65," Turner said. "At this age, we do not recover as much as when we are younger, so I do not take risks with my health."
Turner said it was only when the police arrived at his door after 9:30 am that he was able to take his 13-year-old child, Doberman, to relieve himself.
"It was stressful for him, but it had to be done that way," said Turner.
Patricia Bidzinski, of Beach Park, said she was surprised by an Illinois police officer who summoned her shortly after 5:30 pm while she was walking her puppy near her home.
"He said," You have to go inside. There is a danger nearby, "Bidzinski said.
Shortly after, Bidzinski looked out the window and saw some of her neighbors leave and thought she should do it too, but she finally decided to stay put, she said.
"I saw geese and birds in the pond behind my subdivision and they seemed to be fine," Bidzinski said. "I told my boyfriend that we should be content to stay inside, but I'm not going to lie, it was scary."
Gallo said the officials had beefed up the response to a five-alarm safety call for ambulances, and that Cook County authorities had been asked to send other ambulances.
According to Gallo, 20 different departments responded to the call and have 140 employees. Firefighters wearing protective clothing were on the scene after staff sprayed containers to reduce gas leaks.
"It was very difficult to try to contain the gas," Gallo said. At 11 o'clock, there was still a perimeter of a quarter mile, and Gallo added that anyone in the area with inhalation problems should call 911 and be transported.
Burnett said that she felt good, with the exception of an occasional cough. In fact, she was worried about other people after learning that some people were in critical condition.
"I only hope the others will be fine," she said.
Come back for updates.
Katherine Rosenberg-Douglas is a Chicago Tribune journalist. Frank Abderholden is a Lake County News-Sun journalist. Independent journalist Yadira Sanchez-Olson contributed.
Twitter @ 312RegarderNews
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