Seven hospitalized, business closed after ammonia leak in North Attleboro

NORTH ATTLEBORO, Mass. (WLNE) — Seven people were taken to the hospital, one in critical condition, after an ammonia leak on Larsen Way Tuesday around 10 a.m.

North Attleboro Fire Chief Chris Coleman said the department received reports of a leak at J.T. Inman, a silver company, after a worker error near a 1,000-gallon tank storing ammonia.

“They were doing some work around a line,” Coleman said. “They accidentally cut the line, and the ammonia started to disperse into the building.”

Crews evacuated the building and the state hazmat team was called to help clear the mess.

“We make sure everyone is evacuated safely,” Coleman said. “Then we isolate the area and wait for the hazmat team who are the professionals in this discipline, as they have all the equipment and they train regularly for incidents like this.”

Coleman noted some of the side effects of ammonia exposure.

“[It] could cause burns, it could cause inhalation, and it can eventually cause death in large amounts because it is a poisonous gas,” Coleman said.

The ammonia in that tank had been sitting unused for a long time, according to Coleman, who added that all aspects of the incident would be investigated to determine if any violations had been committed.

Coleman said the victim in critical condition suffered non-life-threatening injuries, noting that, while the building was stabilized, the business would be closed indefinitely for the investigation.