According to local reports, a chemical leak at the Nestlé Purina dog food manufacturing plant in Flagstaff, Arizona, sent three employees to a hospital for evaluation on Tuesday, Sept. 22. No serious injuries were reported.
The Flagstaff Fire Department confirmed the incident in a Facebook post, stating that it was dispatched to a hazardous materials call at the plant, located at 4700 E. Nestlé Purina Ave.
"Multiple engines and a battalion chief responded to the scene and found an active chemical leak occurring," the fire department said. A hazmat response was initiated, and hazardous materials technicians from the department entered the area of concern.
According to the fire department, several people at the facility reported feeling ill and went to the hospital to be evaluated before firefighters arrived.
"Once our team entered the building, they found a chemical distribution system that had mixed two chemicals not normally mixed together, which caused corrosion in a distribution line," the department stated. An estimated 10 gallons of chemicals spilled onto the ground from the corroded line.
Technicians secured the leak and mitigated the problem, the fire department said. Crews detected no trace of dangerous gas and gave the all-clear for employees to re-enter the building.
None of the three employees who visited the hospital were admitted, and all returned to work later in the day. The entire incident lasted less than 90 minutes.
The Flagstaff plant produces 280,000 tons of dry pet food annually for brands including Dog Chow, Beneful, Purina ONE, Alpo and Pro Plan.
