WOOD RIVER, Ill. (KMOX) - Hazmat crews are working to contain the release of spent sulfuric acid from rail cars in the southwest part of Wood River, Ill.
The leak began overnight and was reported by an employee on one of the rail cars who was feeling sick from the fumes, said Wood River Police Chief Brad Wells. The worker was hospitalized and his condition is not known. Four total cars were venting the fumes since Wednesday which can be harmful to the lungs.
Residents in the area south of Route 143, west of Route 111, north of West Third Street and east of North Old Edwardsville Road are being asked to shelter in place. That includes shutting off HVAC systems and closing windows.
The shelter-in-place order was still in place as of 1 p.m. Thursday, but may be lifted this afternoon or evening.
At 7:20 a.m., police say the area "should be in the all clear soon," but is waiting for environmental engineers to give the word. Emergency crews sent a "water curtain" into the air to keep the area safe.
"They're putting water on the source just to contain what's entering the atmosphere," Wells says. "And then at some point once they get that job done they'll go in there to actually contain it from getting out of the rail cars."
It happened on the Norfolk Southern Railroad.
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