The information in this report is preliminary and will be either supplemented or corrected during the course of the investigation.
On April 25, 2019, about 4:33 a.m. central daylight time, about 750 gallons (3,800 pounds) of anhydrous ammonia liquefied compressed gas (UN1005, Division 2.2) were accidentally released from two 1,000-gallon nurse tanks mounted on a farm trailer that was being pulled by a John Deere tractor in Beach Park, Illinois. The driver was operating the tractor in combination with an applicator toolbar that applies the anhydrous ammonia as a fertilizer. While traveling between farm fields, the driver said that he heard a “puff” sound. When he turned his head around to see the nurse tanks, he saw a gas cloud.
This accident occurred while the tractor and nurse tank trailer was traveling south at the intersection of West Clarendon and North Green Bay Road in Beach Park. As a result of the hazardous materials release, 41 people, including 11 first responders, were injured and treated for various degrees of injury (from non-life threatening to critical) at local hospitals. The driver of the tractor was not injured.