Dozens Hospitalized and Hundreds Evacuated After Ammonia Truck Leak Outside Oklahoma Hotel
A tanker truck carrying anhydrous ammonia leaked overnight in Weatherford, Oklahoma, filling a hotel parking lot with toxic gas and forcing the evacuation of hundreds of people, authorities said.
The incident occurred just before 10 p.m. on Wednesday, when a large plume of ammonia gas escaped from the truck parked outside a Holiday Inn Express. First responders arrived to find guests in the hotel suffering from respiratory distress and directed evacuations.
At least 36 people were hospitalized for ammonia exposure; 11 were transported to other hospitals. Dozens more were treated at on‑site casualty collection points. Five police officers sustained chemical burns to their airways during the response.
In the immediate aftermath, roughly 500 to 600 people were evacuated to temporary shelters, and others were ordered to shelter in place in nearby homes and businesses. Several nursing homes were evacuated, and schools in the area were closed for the day.
Firefighters, wearing gas masks, went door-to-door to alert residents and assist with evacuations. Authorities later lifted the shelter-in-place directive once air-quality monitors showed ammonia levels had dropped to safer levels.
The leak is believed to have been caused by a mechanical failure, possibly a faulty seal or valve on the tanker. The truck was reportedly carrying about 25,000 pounds of anhydrous ammonia. Industrial gas distributor Airgas, which owns the truck, confirmed that it is cooperating with local authorities.
Federal, state, and local response teams—including hazmat units and the Oklahoma National Guard—were deployed to manage the incident and monitor air quality.
Anhydrous ammonia is commonly used as a fertilizer, but inhaling it can cause severe respiratory damage or chemical burns.
