Beach Park Hazmat Situation
By Nick Gale, WLS-AM 890 News
(WAUKEGAN, Ill.) — The Lake County Sheriffs Office has released information regarding a hazardous materials incident in Beach Park. At one point, 31 people were transported to area hospitals with breathing problems after tanks carrying anhydrous ammonia began to leak including two deputies who were responded to the scene and a Zion Police Officer. Beach Park residents were told to stay home and several schools canceled classes.
Lake County Sheriffs Department Release:
On April 25, 2019, at approximately 4:25AM, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a possible
vehicle fire in the area of North Green Bay Road & 29th Street, Beach Park. A Lake County Sheriff’s Sergeant and
Lake County Sheriff’s Deputy arrived on scene and observed what appeared to be a cloud of smoke. As the Sergeant
and Deputy exited their squad cars, they were overcome with an airborne chemical.
The Sergeant and Deputy retreated, as the chemical was overpowering. There were several victims at the scene who
were rescued by initial responding fire personnel.
Preliminary information shows a tractor was towing containers holding anhydrous ammonia. The containers leaked
as the tractor was traveling on Green Bay Road in the area of 29th Street. This caused toxic plumes of the chemical to
be released into the air.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office and Beach Park Fire established a Unified Command Post. The Beach Park Fire
Department requested mutual-aid through the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS) to the 5th level, adding an
alarm from a different MABAS division (25 ambulances, and HAZMAT Teams). The Lake County Sheriff’s Office
requested mutual-aid through the Illinois Law-Enforcement Alarm System (ILEAS) to the 4th level, which allocated
20 additional police officers, to assist in closing a 1-mile perimeter from vehicular/pedestrian traffic.
Notifications were made via television/radio media, social media, automated call/text/email systems, and Nextdoor
emergency alert, to notify Beach Park residents within a one-mile radius to shelter in place, keep all windows closed,
and turn off HVAC systems.
As of 10 a.m. Thursday, residents were still being asked to stay inside with HVAC systems off as the cloud of anhydrous dissipates.
Copyright 2019 WLS-AM News
