Tokyo, Japan— Nine workers were hospitalized Thursday after an industrial solvent leak at a processing facility in Japan, filling the plant floor with fumes and forcing a full evacuation.
The leak happened at 9:50 a.m. at a chemical processing plant in Kawasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture. Workers were transferring toluene-based solvent from a storage tank to a mixing vessel. A valve seal failed. The liquid spilled and vaporized.
The ventilation system could not clear the vapor. Workers in the immediate area began coughing. Eyes burned. Some collapsed. The supervisor triggered the emergency alarm and ordered everyone out.
Fire department hazmat teams arrived in chemical suits. They shut off the feed line and sealed the tank. They measured airborne concentrations at three times the safe limit. The spill was contained to one hall, but the fumes spread to two adjacent buildings.
"The leak was caused by a degraded gasket. It had not been replaced on schedule," a Kanagawa Prefectural Police official said after initial interviews. "We will check maintenance records and safety training logs."
All nine workers were taken to Kawasaki Municipal Hospital. Doctors said they suffered from inhalation injuries and chemical conjunctivitis. None are in life-threatening condition. Two will stay overnight for observation.
The plant, which produces industrial coatings, employs about 200 people. It has had two smaller leaks in the past three years, according to local labour bureau records. Both were linked to equipment wear.
The company issued a statement apologizing and promising to halt operations until a third-party safety audit is complete. Production is stopped indefinitely.
The city environmental bureau took air samples outside the plant. No danger to nearby residents was found. Residents were still told to keep windows closed for the afternoon.
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