Toxic chemical reaction injures 3; hazmat responds to Meijer facility in Tipp City

Three contractors suffered inhalation injuries from a chemical reaction Thursday night that led a hazmat team to respond to the Meijer distribution facility in Tipp City.

A toilet bowl cleaner and bleach container damaged during the packing process had mixed, creating a toxic chlorine gas that injured the trio around 9:45 p.m. as they tried to clean the spill, said Cameron Haller, Tipp City Fire & EMS chief.

The facility at 4200 S. County Road 25A was evacuated, and the Miami County Hazardous Material Team responded. The chemical spill was contained at 2:09 a.m. Friday, Haller said in a release.

“The cause of the incident is unintentional. The chemicals mixed due to their containers being punctured in the automated packing process. The toilet bowl cleaner was damaged first and then then the bleach container was damaged causing the chemicals to mix. The personnel that attempted to clean the spill became the patients,” Haller said.

The three workers, one who also suffered a chemical burn, were decontaminated and taken by medics to a local hospital.

Crews were on scene for approximately five hours, and no first responders were injured or suffered illness, Haller said.

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