Ammonia release leads to evacuation

No one injured in Sunday event

WARDEN — Workers at the Ochoa Ag Unlimited Foods Inc. plant here were forced to evacuate for a few hours Sunday, after a malfunction in an ammonia compressor led to the release of ammonia to a small area of the site.

Tom Martinez with Ochoa Foods said the malfunction occurred at approximately 6 a.m. Sunday, and about 55 employees were evacuated from the plant shortly afterward as a precaution. A news release put out by the company said that all personnel were accounted for and no injuries were reported due to either the ammonia release or evacuation.

Grant County Fire District No. 4 responded shortly after the incident, and Chief Bob Whitaker said the district stood by during the incident for safety reasons and to make sure workers were evacuated properly.

In a news release, Ochoa Ag wrote they appreciated the quick response of the district to the situation. The release stated the incident is required to be reported to the local fire district and the Environmental Protection Agency as part of a risk management program.

Martinez said Monday that the plant was up and running again at 11 a.m. He said the plant has emergency plans in place to evacuate if a situation occurs.

"It's rare," Martinez said of this type of event, "but you prepare for it because of the nature of the ammonia."

Ammonia is used in the freezing of potato products, and Martinez said the release was confined to the Ochoa Foods site.