ALLENTOWN, Pa. – A shelter in place order has been updated after a hazardous materials spill at the Lehigh County Authority water treatment facility in Allentown.
Allentown Fire Department Capt. of Public Affairs Jon Hammel says the order now covers an area within a half mile radius of the facility. He says the order was changed due to shifting winds.
Hammel says the order previously covered approximately 1 mile south of the facility, between 8th Street and Jefferson Street south to Lehigh Street.
The shelter in place order is a strictly precautionary measure, Hammel says.
Emergency crews responded to the hazardous materials spill at the water treatment facility on Martin Luther King Junior Drive in Allentown. Hammel says the spill was reported at 10 a.m. Friday.
69 News Reporter Bo Koltnow speaks to Allentown Mayor Matt Tuerk about the hazardous materials spill at the LCA water treatment facility.
At this point, the spill is contained to the facility. In addition to the evacuation of the facility, Hammel says members of the homeless population in the area have been asked to evacuate for their safety.
Hammel says the leak is controlled.
Taylor Stakes of the Lehigh County Authority says the water system has not been compromised. He says the plant is running without interruption.
Five Lehigh County Authority employees who were inside the facility at the time were brought to the hospital as a precautionary measure. They are expected to be ok.
69 News Reporter Bo Koltnow speaks with Allentown Fire Department Capt. of Public Affairs Jon Hammel about the hazardous materials spill.
The spill was due to a chemical delivery mix up, in which sodium hypochlorite (which is used to treat water) was put into the wrong tank. It was mixed with polyaluminum chloride, creating a toxic vapor in the building, which led to the hazmat incident.
Allentown Mayor Matt Tuerk says the Pennsylvania DEP, Lehigh County Emergency Management crews and two ambulance companies are on scene.
69 News Reporter Bo Koltnow speaks with Taylor Stakes of the Lehigh County Authority.
Hammel says Martin Luther King Boulevard will be closed for several hours. He says Martin Luther King Jr. Drive is closed from Franklin Street east to South 10th Street.
Hammel says anyone traveling within the shelter in place area can get through, aside from the closed road.
Stakes says the plant’s customer service department is closed for the rest of the day Friday. He says he is asking residents not come to the plant to pay bills.
The LCA says that depending on what happens, they may have to stop treating water. In that case, residents would be asked to conserve water. That has not happened as of now. If it were to happen, LCA says it would issue a release about it.
Stick with 69 News and wfmz.com for further updates on this breaking story.
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