Ammonia leak kills 1, injures several

COLUMBIA — One woman was killed and seven were treated at a hospital after nearly 2,000 gallons of ammonia leaked from a tanker truck Wednesday, state health officials said.

A tanker was unloading anhydrous ammonia at a Tanner Industries distribution facility in Lexington County around 8 a.m. when a hose connecting the truck to a storage tank ruptured, Department of Health and Environmental Control spokesman Thom Berry said.

About 1,800 gallons of the 7,500 gallons on board spilled out before one of the truck's drivers could hit an emergency shut off-valve, stopping the spill, Berry said.

The vast amount of ammonia, a hazardous chemical typically used in cleaning products, quickly evaporated, creating a plume of noxious gas that drifted across nearby U.S. Highway 321, Berry said.

Jacqueline Ginyard, 38, of Wagener, drove into the cloud, tried to get out of her vehicle and was overcome by the fumes, Lexington County Coroner Harry Harman said.

"This material was nearly 100 percent pure ammonia," Berry said. "It is a strong irritant. It does cause burning of the eyes, throat and lungs."

In all, more than a dozen people in the area received medical attention. Seven were taken to a hospital in Lexington for treatment of non-life threatening injuries, while seven others either declined treatment or were assisted at the scene, Berry said.

All staffers at the Tanner facility were evacuated.

Officials do not believe nearby residents are in danger, although Berry said several DHEC teams are going door to door in the predominantly rural area, talking with people about the leak. The agency has also set up a toll-free number for questions.

Since the ammonia evaporated almost instantly, little cleanup is needed, Berry said, although some nearby bushes and grass were blackened by the spilled liquid.

A spokesman for Tanner Industries said the Southampton, Pa.-based company would send a team to South Carolina to investigate. "It's been a terrible day for us obviously," said David Binder. "We've had a good track record, and we've always been committed to protecting the health and safety of employees, communities and the environment."