Randolph Schools will be running two hours late on Thursday morning. December 9th, 2010.Story Line:
Authorities say an ammonia cloud about the size of a football field formed after Wednesday's accidental release.
Emergency officials say over 50 people were sent to hospitals following the leak at the River Country Co-op facility in Randolph Wednesday morning.
Emergency officials evacuated the small city and a school following the leak around 8 a.m., when an anhydrous ammonia a line ruptured as the ammonia was being transferred from a semi to a storage tank.
A mass notification system was used send out an evacuation message to Randolph residents and others within a mile of the town.
More than 600 students at the city's school complex were evacuated to St. Mark's church outside the city limits. The superintendent says the school initially went into a lock down when they were notified of the leak. After about five minutes, they were asked to evacuate. During the course of the evacuation students were possibly exposed to the ammonia.
Fairview Ridges Hospital in Burnsville saw 19 patients, according to spokeswoman Jennifer Amnundson. Eighteen of them were children. The patients showed symptoms including nausea, dizziness, headache and shortness of breath, which were described as "not severe." All 19 patients had been treated and released by 1:30 p.m.
Northfield Hospital saw 21 patients in their emergency room following the leak, says hospital spokesman Scott Richardson. Six children were admitted. All others were treated and released as of 12:30 p.m. Only one of the 21 required decontamination.
Twenty-four patients were seen at Cannon Falls Medical Center, according to the hospital. Most were treated for minor symptoms associated with ammonia exposure. Most of them are expected to be released Wednesday.
Dr. Aaron Burnett of Regions Hospital says the symptoms associated with ammonia exposure include respiratory difficulty, wheezing, shortness of breath and difficulty speaking in full sentences. Being several hours beyond a potential exposure, if people are not showing those symptoms, the chances of developing them are low, he says.
Five students were also seen at Regina Medical Center in Hastings. All were treated and released Wednesday.
Dakota County emergency preparedness coordinator David Gisch says about 400 residents of Randolph were sent to the Hampton fire station about 8 miles away.
Emergency preparedness coordinator David Gisch says about 400 residents were evacuated to a nearby fire station. Students from the school complex were sent to a church outside the city.