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Last updated on Monday, April 20, 2015
(BROWN CO.) - Police and emergency crews shut down Gatesville Road and evacuated residents Saturday morning after a 4,000 gallon tank of anhydrous ammonia spilled on the roadway in Brown County.
Police say a the shaft of a trailer that was pulling the ammonia tank broke, causing the dangerous liquid to spill on the highway about five miles north of Brown County State Park in the 5300 block of Gatesville Road.
At about 8:45 a.m. emergency crews from the Bloomington haz-mat team, volunteer firefighters and officials with the Brown County Emergency Management had the leak contained and were keeping watch over an ammonia cloud as it moved through the area.
Officials evacuated 14 residents in a one-square mile area including residents on Clay Lick, Upper Salt Creek roads in the area near Tuley Trace, Three Notch and Petro roads after the wind shifted.
An emergency shelter was set up at the YMCA for evacuees.
At about 11:30 a.m., EMA reported that the cloud had dissipated, but people who were evacuated had to remain away from their homes until the haz-mat team determined the area was safe.
Brown County Highway Superintendent Mike Magner says cleanup involved some soil excavation where the spill occurred. Just before 4 p.m. The Indiana Department of Environmental Management had Wagler Bros. begin excavating the contaminated soil.
At 5 p.m. residents were allowed to return to their homes.
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