UPDATE: Evacuations Over After Ammonia Leak In Walsh
About 30 homes in a small southeastern Colorado town were evacuated Wednesday morning because of an ammonia spill. As of 12:45 p.m. Wednesday, the evacuations have been lifted.
A tank holding about 1,000 gallons of anhydrous ammonia fell off a trailer as it was being hauled to a farm near Walsh on Wednesday. The fall ruptured the tank, releasing an unknown amount of ammonia which turned into vapor. An unknown amount of liquid ammonia remains in the tank and crews are figuring out the best way to plug the rupture and move the tank out of town.
Many people in the area say they are familiar with anhydrous ammonia and evacuated their home before being told to do so. If inhaled, the gas can kill you and liquid ammonia can burn your skin.
One woman was taken to the hospital but officials say she will be ok.
Highway 160 is closed on the south side of Walsh due to the leak.
Anhydrous ammonia is used as a fertilizer. Riley Frazee, a spokesman with the Colorado Division of Emergency Management, says it’s common to see tanks of it being hauled around the ranching and farming community.
