Chemical Leak Forces Evacuation of Idaho Paper Plant

A chemical leak led to the evacuation of workers at the Clearwater Paper manufacturing complex in Lewiston, ID early Wednesday, the Lewiston Tribune reported.

Matt Van Vleet, a company spokesperson, told the newspaper that no injuries were reported during the incident, which lasted about 20 to 30 minutes. The quantity of chemicals – identified as sodium hypochlorite and an ammonia-based solution – leaked at the site is unclear.

The leak occurred at about 8:50 a.m. in a building containing two paperboard machines that were down for maintenance.

“We were doing maintenance on the digital control system and other parts of the equipment that house and transport the two chemicals,” said Van Vleet in the Tribune’s coverage. “A valve opened and we mixed the two together, too much and in the wrong process. That’s what we believe happened.”

Working through the day to air out and clean the building where the leak occurred, normal operations were resumed at the plant by 6 p.m. The incident was reported to local, state and federal agencies and law enforcement bodies.

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