A chemical gas leak at a Water Plant resulted in three people being transported to the hospital. The leak was a result of a chemical reaction of the chemical “alum” being mistakenly added to two tanks of bleach, creating chlorine gas. At around 2 p.m., the Portage County Hazardous Materials Team responded to an incident at the plant. At 2:49 p.m., they issued a shelter-in-place warning for residents and businesses within a half-mile radius of the Water Plant. As of 4:05 p.m., that shelter-in-place order has been extended, according to a release from Portage County Emergency Management.
The plant has since been evacuated and is currently shut down. In a release sent out at 2:46 p.m., Portage County Emergency Management warns residents to turn off HVAC units, close windows, and seek shelter indoors.