MUSKEGON HEIGHTS, Mich. — The Muskegon Heights residents living near Webb Chemical received a shelter in place order Monday after a hydrochloric acid spill at the chemical distribution facility.
The spill happened when a bulk storage tank sprung a leak around 11 a.m., spilling an estimated 2,000 gallons of the chemical into its containment system.
"Our goal is to provide a safe workplace for our employees," Vice President of Operations Kolin Convertini said in a statement. "However, there are times when things go wrong and we're experiencing one of those right now."
Shortly after, Webb Chemical shut down a number of its operations while emergency response teams went door-to-door in nearby neighborhoods, alerting residents of the potential danger.
For a two-hour period, those downwind of the facility were told to close windows and stay indoors, as the vapor from hydrochloric acid can irritate the eyes, skin, and respiratory tract.
"Being out there with them, it sounds like it's cautionary," Convertini said.
In a statement on its website, Webb said chemical is commonly used in pool chemistry and concrete etching, and claimed the spill didn't contaminate the water or ground. To its knowledge, no one was hurt or killed.
The cause of the leak is not yet known.
"We don’t know why," Convertini said. "We really don't know why or what happened yet until we get chance to actually investigate."
The shelter-in-place order was lifted around 1 p.m. as cleanup continued into the afternoon.
