Forklift causes ammonia tank leak at Sacramento plant; worker taken to hospital
A forklift accident at a southeast Sacramento chemical manufacuring plant Tuesday morning triggered an ammonia leak that briefly shut down Fruitridge Road and sent one worker to the hospital, officials said.
The leak occurred just before 6 a.m. on the 8600 block of Unsworth Avenue, just off Fruitridge and Florin Perkins roads, when a forklift struck a pressure valve on a 60,000-pound tank containing ammonia, according to Capt. Justin Sylvia of the Sacramento Fire Department. Roughly 14,000 pounds of the chemical were inside the tank at the time of the leak, he said.
One person experiencing respiratory issues was taken to a hospital by private vehicle. No other injuries were reported.
Emergency crews evacuated the area around the Florin Fruitridge Industrial Park and later established a 1,000-foot safety perimeter. Sylvia said the gas had largely dissipated by 8:30 a.m. Firefighters remained on scene alongside facility workers to cap the leak and monitor air quality.
The incident briefly closed Fruitridge Road between Power Inn and Florin Perkins roads. That section reopened around 8 a.m., according to Sacramento police. Florin Perkins Road remained closed at Unsworth Avenue as the response continued.
Ammonia is a colorless gas with a strong odor that can cause respiratory distress with high exposure.
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