Ammonia leak in Oklahoma leaves dozens hospitalized, forces hundreds to evacuate

Courtesy: CBS

A chemical spill injured dozens of people, some seriously, and forced hundreds to evacuate from a western Oklahoma city on Wednesday night, according to local officials. Evacuation orders were lifted Thursday morning.

The incident occurred around 10 p.m. local time in Weatherford, Oklahoma, where an 8,500-gallon tanker truck began leaking toxic ammonia, Weatherford Police Chief Angelo Orefice told CBS News on Thursday morning. Responding crews stopped the leak, he said, and the airborne chemical had dissipated to a level deemed safe for people to return.

The leaking truck was parked in the lot outside of a Holiday Inn Express hotel, said Weatherford Emergency Manager Mike Karlin at a news conference streamed by CBS affiliate KWTV. When first responders arrived at the scene