Chlorine leak at Sidney water plant prompts ‘shelter in place’ order

DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) — An early morning chlorine leak at the Sidney Water Treatment Facility prompted a “shelter in place” for many neighbors Tuesday.

A call was placed to the Sidney Department of Fire & Emergency Services shortly before 1 a.m. Tuesday.

After being told that plant personnel had been safely evacuated, the Shelby County Hazardous Materials Response Team was called in. The responders secured the valves of the two chlorine cylinders that had been in use, ending the leak.

Inspection revealed no water contamination from the leak. The response team had left and plant operations resumed by 5 a.m.

An estimated 40 pounds of chlorine managed to escape. While most think of chlorine as what cleans swimming pools, that is in a mixture with other chemicals. Chlorine is toxic to humans, and was used as a chemical weapon during World War I. Its use as a weapon was banned by the Geneva Protocol in 1925.

The Shelby County Emergency Management Agency posted to its Facebook page that the situation had been contained.

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