Plant workers overcome by chemical fumes

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- The interaction between two chemicals at Nordyne Industries sent 12 workers to the hospital Wednesday morning. Poplar Bluff police and fire departments, Butler County Emergency Management Agency and Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center EMS were called to the scene at 10:45 a.m. after reports that several employees had been exposed to chemical fumes, according to Poplar Bluff police detective Gary Pride. He said two different industrial chemicals were being used simultaneously and they produced an unfavorable respiratory irritant that caused workers to have symptoms of lightheadness and nausea. Nordyne, located in the Poplar Bluff Industrial Park, manufactures heating and cooling products. The roads around the plant were closed off and the leak was contained before the roads were reopened about 11:20 a.m.

Pride said they are presently in the process of ventilating the building. Officials described it as a "mop-and-clean operation" to cleanup the spill.