WHEELING, W.Va. — An ammonia leak at the Ziegenfelder Corp. in East Wheeling on Wednesday afternoon sent several employees to the hospital and shut down streets surrounding the plant.
Workers inside the 87 18th St. plant reported a vapor cloud shortly before 2 p.m. Wheeling firefighters first on the scene immediately called for additional ambulances and took precautions to protect those in and around the plant. Laughlin Memorial Chapel, located a few blocks from the plant, kept children inside until the leak was cleared.
Ziegenfelder President and CEO Lisa Allen said the ammonia, which is used as a cooling agent in the plant’s refrigeration system, is in liquid form inside pipes but becomes a gas when it makes contact with the air.
Allen, who was on the scene, ushered her employees together in a parking lot across the street. She said her first concern was for the well-being of the workers.
“Everybody did exactly what they were supposed to do. … The emergency responders were absolutely excellent,” Allen said.
Public buses and school buses were diverted around the area. City police and West Virginia State Police cruisers blocked traffic from streets surrounding the plant, which is known for its Budget Saver twin pops and other frozen novelties.
Several employees complained of burning in their throats and eyes.
According to firefighters, five workers were treated for ill effects, but Allen said she believed only three were hospitalized.
“All of them were released within an hour or so,” she said.
Fire crews remained at the plant for several hours in an effort to ventilate the building.
An investigation is ongoing into the cause of the leak, and Allen said the plant is preparing to resume operations by late today.
In addition to the Wheeling plant, Ziegenfelder has operations in Chino, Calif., and Denver. The company employs more than 300 workers.
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