Roads Reopen After Gas Leak In McLeod County
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Roads have been reopened in McLeod County after an anhydrous gas leak late Monday night.
According to the McLeod County Sheriff, just before 11 p.m. officers received a call of a tractor accident in a farm field one mile north of Brownton.
A tank being pulled in a field leaked more than 1,000 gallons of anhydrous ammonia.
Officials sent out an emergency alert for people to close their windows and stay indoors. They also shut down Highway 15 between Brownton and Hutchinson to let the gas cloud pass.
Around 1:20 a.m., the Sheriff's Office said they were no longer smelling gas. At 2:15 the all-clear was given and roads were reopened.
One family was removed from their home as a precaution. However, no one reported any illnesses as a result.
Anhydrous ammonia is a fertilizer. If exposed to it, people can suffer from eye, nose and throat irritation, have trouble breathing or get burns.
The CDC said exposure can be deadly at high concentrations.
