MANSFIELD, Texas — Nearly 300 employees at a Mansfield company are safe after a dangerous chemical release on Monday afternoon.
The incident happened at Dura-Tech located at 109 Sentry Drive. Mansfield firefighters are trying to narrow down what led to the chemical release.
An Arlington Fire Department hazmat team also responded to the scene. The team had to be sprayed off in their hazmat suits after being inside Dura-Tech.
The chemical release forced the evacuation of 260 employees. Paramedics treated four employees reportedly exposed to the chemical. But they refused medical transport for further treatment, according to Jeff Smith of the Mansfield Police Department.
Smith shared the chemical release involved nitric acid that can irritate the skin if exposed and can lead to breathing issues. By the time they arrived on the scene, two of the four employees exposed to the chemical had already changed out of their work clothes and showered as a precaution.
Mansfield firefighters instructed the evacuated employees to stay about 300 feet away from the building. Smith anticipated the fire department being on scene until the building is cleared by state environmental experts.
The Mansfield Fire Department responded to the same location in 2021 for a similar incident, according to Smith. The high winds in Mansfield on Monday afternoon are a plus for firefighters as the winds cause the airborne chemical to dissipate faster.
No homes had to be evacuated due to the incident.