Teutopolis reflects one year after tragic chemical spill

TEUTOPOLIS, Ill. (WCIA) — One year ago, Teutopolis was evacuated. Now, a year later, they are looking back on the chaotic and tragic weekend.

Families had to rush out on a moment’s notice, as an anhydrous ammonia cloud leaking from a nearby crashed tanker truck moved to the city. Five people , including two children, died.

Of the five victims, three are from a family in Central Illinois: 34-year-old Kenneth Bryan, 10-year-old Walker Bryan, and 7-year-old Rosie Bryan. The other two are 31-year-old Vasile Cricovan and 67-year-old Danny Smith.

Seven people were also either airlifted from the scene or admitted into a local hospital for ammonia exposure. The last two victims were released from the from the hospital in December and have long-term injuries.

The town was evacuated for over a day as emergency crews worked around the clock to contain the spread. One year later, the community refuses to forget the actions of their volunteer fire department, and all of the first responders that came from around the state to help.

The crash happened right outside of the east edge of town.

There are no physical reminders of the crash at the site. But there are still plenty of scars for the people who fled from the town that night.

Jerry Runde will never forget seeing his hometown completely empty.

“I hope I never have to see anything like that again,” he said. “But it was kind of surreal, the experience.

He and his fellow Teutopolis Civic Club members were at the KC Hall setting up for their annual Oktoberfest fundraiser when a tanker truck crashed, leaking anhydrous ammonia all over the town.

“Everybody is running,” Runde said. “Somebody came out and told us there is a chemical spill and you need to evacuate. And about that time you can smell it.”

Runde picked up his family and fled his hometown, not fully grasping the freak series of events.
All across town, people were doing the same thing. The town used reverse 911 calls to tell people to evacuate, and in many cases, first responders went door to door.

“I’ve talked to a few of the first responders, paramedics that got there, and they told me it was the worst night of their life,” Runde said. “They’d never wanted to go through anything like that again.”

Teutopolis mayor David Repking said they tried to make improvements to these systems because not everybody got the call.

“We took it on our own to get a secondary alert system,” David Repking said. “Now, it’s not going to send off the sirens or anything like that, but it will send text messages to your phone.”

For the whole next day, emergency crews blocked off roads, and didn’t let anybody in the town.
The crews used the high school, located on the other side of town as a base.
Runde and his other civic club leaders cancelled their event, and instead took the food and drinks they bought for it to first responders.

“Every small town probably feels this way, but you’re not surprised.” Runde said. “You know, that’s the way we were born and raised. You help out people when they need it.”

On Saturday, they will have their Oktoberfest celebration. It will be a celebration of the town and all of their friends and loved ones who helped protect it.

“I remember my son looking at me and saying, Dad, when I get older, I want to I want to be a fireman,” Runde said. “Fireman said, Why do you want to be that? I said, Or he told me, he goes, or I want to be able to help people, too.”

The National Transportation Safety Board opened an investigation into the crash last year.
WCIA reached out to the federal agency today, and they said that investigation is still ongoing.
It could take as long as another year for it to finish.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCIA.com.