Magnablend Building Evacuated in Waxahachie

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} A building at a chemical plant in Ellis County was evacuated Monday due to a chemical leak.[[289829251,L]]

NBC 5 has learned the facility received a load of 300 plastic totes of sodium chlorite Monday and that one of the containers had a reaction with something else and began to rupture.

An explosion, with no fire, was reported, and chlorine gas was was then being discharged into the air.

NBC 5 has confirmed that nearly 70 employees at the Magnablend Inc. plant, as well as the residents of two nearby homes, have evacuated due to the leak. Officials expanded the evacuation to 1.5 miles from the site.

There is no word on any injuries at this time.

Liquid sodium chlorite is a corrosive agent used in the production of agricultural and oil products.

Magnablend has had trouble at their facilities in Waxahachie before. In 2011, a massive fire at a chemical plant was allowed to burn out after prompting evacuations of nearby schools and residences.

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In 2011, Lisa Wheeler, of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, said the plant deals with ammonia, sulfuric, hydrochloric, nitric and phosphoric acids and mixes them for fertilizer and agricultural products.

The company faced tens of thousands of dollars in fines imposed by OSHA after that fire.

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