(3-p.m. News)

Atlantic Fire and Rescue, Atlantic Police and the Cass County Sheriff’s Department responded this (Monday) afternoon to an anhydrous ammonia leak at West Central Cooperative.

(Photo courtesy Cass County EMA Director Mike Kennon)

The call from 60511 Glacier Road came in at around 1:23-p.m. Second Assistant Fire Chief Tim Cappel said there was an obvious plume of anhydrous showing when they arrived.

Cappel said they noticed one of the nurse tanks was leaking due to a blown seal on a pressure gauge. With the help of West Central employees, another tank was hooked up and the gas transferred. There were no injuries.

Atlantic Police and Sheriff’s Deputies made sure the gas was not drifting toward town. Brisk winds helped to dissipate the fumes. If there had been no dispersion of the fumes Cappel said it could have been a much different situation for people in the area, because of the danger posed by the substance.

He said it can make you quit breathing and burns your lungs, which is why firefighters wore their SCBA’s [Self Contained Breathing Apparatus], and had their turnout gear taped shut to prevent inhaling the gas. Firefighters wrapped up their activities at the scene by around 2:40-p.m.