Chlorine Leak Forces Evacuation at Tyson Foods Plant

Approximately 300 people at a Tyson Foods Inc. processing plant in Arkansas were evacuated and 100 sent to local hospitals after an accidental mixture of chemicals created a chlorine gas inside part of the plant Monday morning, according to the Associated Press. The workers were forced from Tyson''s Berry Street plant in Springdale, Ark. Those who were suffering from breathing problems and headaches were sent to one of five area hospitals, but no injuries appeared life-threatening. Chlorine fumes were noticed about 9:15 a.m. Monday morning in the plant''s food safety section. About 600 of the plant''s 1,200 workers were at work then, and 300 were affected by the gas. A local bus company sent over buses to take some of the workers away, and hazardous materials crews were dispatched to hospitals to decontaminate people. After the emergency response, Tyson Foods was given back control of the processing facility. The evacuated workers who weren''t sent to area hospitals with symptoms were kept in the plant''s cafeteria while the company determined its next step.