NORTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. (WJAR) — Thirteen people were hospitalized after an ammonia leak at a North Kingstown business Thursday night.
Emergency crews were responding to Taylor Farms on Commerce Park Road at 6 p.m.
“We had people coming out of the building complaining that they were smelling of ammonia with irritation to their eyes and their throats,” said North Kingstown Fire Chief John Linacre. “There was no liquid ammonia leak, it was all vapor, at this time the ammonia system is shut down to the facility.”
NBC 10’s John Perik reports.{ }
The fire chief said 13 people were taken to the hospital and two are in serious condition. The other 11 are expected to be okay.
Officials said a technician was able to shut down the system to secure the release.
DECON teams responded and decontaminated workers.
Officials said the source of the leak came from a valve on the roof that let go. The air intake on the roof then pulled the ammonia into the building.
“We did find a leak on the roof of the ammonia system which was then transported down into the building,” said Linacre.
Hazmat teams will be airing out the facility until it is determined to be safe.
In 2023, Taylor Farms was fined $650,000 for a leak that also sent 13 people to the hospital in 2020.
“There will be steps that will be taken, DEM will be handling a lot of it, going through inspections,” he said. “At the end of the day it’s life anything elseeverything is subject to breaking at some point.”
Investigators are working to learn what caused the leak.
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NBC 10’s John Perik contributed to this report.
