WHEATFIELD, N.Y. — Three people were taken to the hospital following a "hazardous material incident" that happened early Wednesday morning in the town of Wheatfield.
The Niagara County Sheriff's Office says it received a 911 call about the incident just before 2 a.m. reporting a spill of about 400 gallons of methanol at Avantor, a chemical manufacturer, located on Inducon Drive East. The caller told deputies the spill was contained inside the building.
Along with the sheriff's office, crews from the Bergholz Volunteer Fire Company, the Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station, the Niagara County Fire Coordinator’s Office, the Niagara County Hazardous Materials Team, the Sanborn Volunteer Fire Company and the Tri-Community Ambulance Service were all called to the scene to assist. Deputies say first responders were able to stabilize the scene "without further exposure to responding personnel or the surrounding area."
Three people were taken to Mt. St. Mary's Hospital by ambulance for "precautionary decontamination" and to be evaluated. Their current status is unknown.
At this time, it's believed that there are no environmental or personal health risks to any nearby businesses or residents. Deputies say cleanup companies will be on site Wednesday to help resolve the spill.
The incident is under investigation.