LIMA — An employee mixed a cleaning product with bleach at BEF Foods Inc. early Thursday, creating a gas that sent two employees to hospitals and caused the plant to be evacuated for three hours.
The chemical reaction was at the former Kettle Creations, which makes mashed potatoes for Bob Evans. The Allen County Emergency Management Agency was called at about 5:30 a.m. and worked with HAZMAT to clear the air, said Tom Berger, local EMA director.
Cody Rhinock, 26, of Lima, was taken to St Rita’s Medical Center, and Jacob Spencer, 22, of Lima, was taken to Lima Memorial Health System for breathing issues. Their injuries were not life threatening.
The building was cleared while the HAZMAT team assisted with the clean-up process, Berger said. Employees were allowed back into the plant at about 8:30 a.m. to continue working.
BEF Foods “had a very responsive personnel,” Berger said. He didn’t think the agency has been called to that plant before.
Representatives from BEF Foods did not return calls seeking comment Thursday. It is unknown how the food product was affected.
The cleaner was XT-2002, Berger said.
According to an online safety fact sheet by its manufacturer, Zep, the cleaner is 30 to 40 percent by weight nitric acid and also contains phosphoric acid. The product carries warnings that it can cause burns and respiratory problems.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises never to mix bleach with ammonia or any other cleaning product, as dangerous gas can result.
