Chemical leak causes shelter-in-place in Richland County

COLFAX, N.D. (Valley News Live) - A town in Richland county had to shelter in place after reports of a chemical leak Tuesday evening.

According to the Richland County Sheriff’s office, the leak happened a mile west of Colfax along County Road 4 just after 9:45 p.m. Tuesday. The source of the leak was a large anhydrous ammonia tank owned by Minn-Kota Ag Products.

The leak was first discovered by a Minn-Kota employee. That employee and firefighters transferred the remaining ammonia from the large tank into smaller tanks. A shelter-in-place order was issued in Colfax out of caution while crews handled the leak. That order has since been lifted.

According to the National Fire Protection Association, ammonia is a severe toxin that can cause serious respiratory issues or death if inhaled. It can also cause burns to eyes or skin.

The incident is still under investigation, and no injuries were reported.

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