33 people sent to the hospital after ammonia leak at a Sterling, Virginia food processing plant.

[1srelluc]

33 people sent to the hospital after ammonia leak at a Sterling food processing plant - WTOP News

As of Thursday morning, 33 people were taken to area hospitals, five of which are in serious condition and 17 are in serious but non-life-threatening condition.

wtop.com

At least 33 people were sent to the hospital Wednesday night after being exposed to a chemical leak of ammonia inside a Sterling, Virginia, food processing plant.

Loudoun County Fire and Rescue spokeswoman Laura Rinehart confirmed with WTOP that officials were called to the Cuisine Solutions facility on Sous Vide Lane around 8:30 p.m. on reports of a gas leak.

As of Thursday morning, 33 people were taken to area hospitals, five of which are in serious condition and 17 are in serious but non-life-threatening condition.

Officials originally announced Wednesday night that 26 people were sent to the hospital. At least four of the people exposed to the chemical were “experiencing significant symptoms,” the rescue agency said in a post on X.

I'll tell you straight-up that ammonia leaks are no joke.....I worked at an ice plant and when there was a leak you had to "suit-up" to fix it.

From what I understand it was a new building.

 

[Muhammed]

In Virginia. I bet someone was trying to steal some anhydrous ammonia refrigerant for their meth lab.

 

[1srelluc]

In Virginia. I bet someone was trying to steal some anhydrous ammonia refrigerant for their meth lab.

I suspect it's mostly hispanics working there as that's all that lives in Sterling now.....They are not really known for making meth.....Now if the place was in WV it would be plausible.

Someone on another forum said it was a black owned business.....Of course that does not mean anything as that is more common now as black "owners" get all kinds of breaks and incentives.

 

[initforme]

Those people need to file a lawsuit.

 

[1srelluc]

Those people need to file a lawsuit.

Given the area and type of work I suspect many are illegals.

 

[JohnDB]

No...
New plant and a valve leak.
Meaning the pipe fitters didn't do something right or use the right seals. That's the reason for the leak. Sure it sealed for a while but ammonia will eat through the wrong type of seals/gaskets after a while...and where the leak wasn't catastrophic....it likely was just a seal at a valve.

Ammonia in the concentration used for refrigerant is very caustic, it burns skin and organs easily. Skin Blisters are the least....lung blisters and burns are another. Same thing with eyes and ears.

 

[Resnic]

In Virginia. I bet someone was trying to steal some anhydrous ammonia refrigerant for their meth lab.

That happened at a plant near mine.

We use ammonia for refrigeration where I work and so does one other facility near us. They had contractors at their facility and as they were leaving one of them opened a emergency bleed valve and put it in a thermos jug, capped it and left. It exploded in his car on the interstate in the way home.

You can't trap ammonia in a vessel. It boils at like -20 degrees so it becomes a bomb when trapped.

Ammonia is dangerous stuff, especially anhydrous ammonia because that means it has no water and when it's released it looks for water and were mostly water. Get it on you, instant burn. Breathe it your lungs freeze. Get it in your eyes your blind.

 

[Muhammed]

I suspect it's mostly hispanics working there as that's all that lives in Sterling now.....They are not really known for making meth.....Now if the place was in WV it would be plausible.

Someone on another forum said it was a black owned business.....Of course that does not mean anything as that is more common now as black "owners" get all kinds of breaks and incentives.

When there is a massive "leak" of precursor chemicals commonly used in the production of speed, race is not an issue. Methamphetamine is an equal opportunity employer.