Tyson factory spill hurts 5 employees.

Fire official blames cleaning product

SPRINGDALE — One person was in critical condition Tuesday evening after an industrial accident earlier in the day at a Tyson Foods plant, according to a hospital spokeswoman.

Beth Wright, vice president for marketing and business development at Northwest Medical Center-Springdale, said in a statement Tuesday afternoon that five people were transported to the hospital from the Berry Street plant after they were exposed to a cleaning agent.

“All five patients were admitted to the hospital,” the statement said. “One is in critical condition, another in serious, and three are in fair condition.”

She declined to give further details about the injuries or the chemical involved. She added that all of the injured were taken to Northwest Medical Center-Springdale.

Capt. Matt Bagley, public information officer for the Springdale Fire Department, said the injuries were related to a spilled industrial cleaning product. He said all of the product was easily and quickly contained. No ammonia, which is used at the plant, was released into the atmosphere or the groundwater, according to reports.

The spill happened in the northwest part of the plant. Bagley didn’t know what part of the chicken production process takes place there.

Derek Burleson, a Tyson spokesman, said the spill involved a cleaning material and happened outside the plant. The company is investigating, he said. About 1,200 people work at the plant, where chickens are killed, the company said.

“We’re thankful for the quick response of Springdale emergency services, who helped us address the situation,” Burleson said.

Hans Driessnack, CEO of Northwest Medical Center-Springdale, said the hospital staff trains and works with the city’s first responders and employers to be prepared for situations like Tuesday’s.

A spill at the same plant in June of 2011 sent more than 150 workers to area hospitals for chlorine-gas exposure. That instance was caused by a reaction from mixing chemicals and was attributed to human error, a Tyson executive said at the time.

An ammonia leak at Tyson’s Chick-N-Quick plant in Rogers in December of 2014 injured 23 employees. The same Rogers plant experienced an ammonia leak in September of 2013.