Updated Oct. 21, 2026, 8:38 p.m. ET
A haze of hazardous materials released from a chemical tank forced hundreds of Ohio residents to evacuate or shelter in place, though conditions improved Oct. 21 as officials scaled back emergency orders.
The incident happened at about 9:30 p.m. local time on Oct. 20 at the MC Tank Transport terminal in north Toledo, Ohio, causing the release of glycidyl methacrylate, an industrial coating product that is stored as a liquid but has been released into the air as a gas, Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz said at a news conference on Oct. 21.
By the afternoon, city officials said the tank’s temperature had dropped significantly, and less gas was being vented. Earlier in the incident, authorities warned that the tank releasing the chemical could become explosive within 12 hours.
At around 5 p.m. Oct. 21, the city said Toledo Fire and Rescue reduced the evacuation zone to a half-mile radius and lifted the shelter-in-place order. The fire department initially ordered residents in a 1-mile radius, about 983 people, to evacuate their homes and advised those within a 3-mile radius to shelter in place by keeping doors and windows closed and turning off ventilation systems that draw in outside air.
Kapszukiewicz had called the incident an explosion of the chemical tank, but city spokesperson Rachel Hart later told USA TODAY that no explosion occurred. City officials said state and federal authorities were allowing the chemical to vent before hazmat crews and other first responders accessed the site, citing safety concerns.
“As long as there is still material in the tank, there is a risk of explosion, and crews cannot approach it,” Hart told USA TODAY.
At least 35 people treated at local hospitals
One person, a sheriff’s deputy, was injured and was able to transport himself to a hospital for treatment, the mayor said. As of 5 p.m. local time, at least 35 people reported to local hospitals with symptoms “potentially related to the chemical leak,” ProMedica health care system said in a statement to USA TODAY.
Most have been treated and released.
The chemical can cause burning of the eyes, nose, mouth, and skin, and symptoms of overexposure include headache, dizziness, tiredness, nausea and vomiting, the city said. But officials said that smelling it or experiencing irritation doesn’t mean residents are being exposed to dangerous levels.
“It’s mostly an irritant at this point,” Lucas County Regional Board of Health Commissioner Karim Baroudi said.
‘These should not be located so close to homes and other businesses’
Rob Duling learned about the chemical leak from a friend’s text message.
The leak sent a plume of chemical smoke into the air near his business, Skyline Party Rental. At the time, Duling was at his home in Oregon, a suburb of Toledo, miles away from the scene.
“We’re not allowed to go over there,” Duling told the Akron Beacon Journal, part of the USA TODAY Network. The evacuation order had forced dozens of businesses to close.
Even after restrictions are lifted, Duling worries about the financial toll. He suspects thousands of linens and pieces of dishware may be contaminated, along with his inventory of tables and chairs, offices, and ventilation system. The cleanup, he said, could be costly and time-consuming.
Duling said he believes chemical facilities inside Toledo are too close to businesses and homes. He pointed to a 2023 incident in which 500 gallons of sulfuric acid leaked into the Ottawa River, which runs near his business.
“These should not be located so close to homes and other businesses,” he said.
− Bryce Buyakie and Lauren Cohen, Akron Beacon Journal
Mayor says conditions at tank are improving
Kapszukiewicz told reporters on the afternoon of Oct. 21 that authorities were waiting for the chemical to vent out of the tanker rather than trying to “actively stop the leak.”
Officials initially said crews would be able to access the site around 9:30 a.m. local time, about 12 hours after the leak began. But the Environmental Protection Agency later decided to allow the chemical to empty out of the tank.
“There’s so little threat to the public that in general that it would be safer to let the situation vent out than it would be to have first responders go in and try to do something to actively stop the leak,” Kapszukiewicz told reporters. He added that conditions at the tank are improving.
“The temperature seems to be going down and the amount of gas that’s being vented is significantly lower than it was,” he said.
Evacuation zone reduced, shelter-in-place orders lifted amid chemical leak
Shelter-in-place orders in Toledo were lifted, and the evacuation zone was adjusted to a half-mile radius by 5 p.m. local time Oct. 21, according to city officials. Crews were waiting for the chemical release to finish before accessing the leak site.
“Toledo Fire & Rescue hazardous materials personnel are working with federal, state and local partners to monitor conditions, coordinate mitigation efforts, and evaluate next steps,” the city said in an update.
City spokesperson Hart previously told USA TODAY that officials initially “anticipated the release would finish at the 12-hour mark.”
“As a result, crews were not able to move in as quickly as hoped to mitigate the situation. Conditions at the site are improving—the temperature in the tank continues to decrease, and the release has slowed significantly,” she said in a statement.
What is glycidyl methacrylate?
Glycidyl methacrylate is an industrial chemical used to make certain plastics, paints and coatings perform better, according to a statement from MC Tank Transport Inc.
The chemical is stored as a colorless liquid and gives off a fruity odor, according to the National Center for Biotechnology Information. Glycidyl methacrylate is most toxic in liquid form, city officials said. Touching the liquid form of the chemical can cause first-degree burns and severe eye damage, according to the National Center for Biotechnology Information.
Those experiencing symptoms such as mild eye, nose, throat or skin irritation should shower or rinse the impacted area and contact a medical professional, according to the City of Toledo. Those experiencing serious symptoms such as difficulty breathing, nausea, vomiting, dizziness or confusion should go to the emergency room or call 911, officials said.
Dozens of schools close following chemical leak
Two school districts in the Toledo area canceled classes and extracurricular activities on Oct. 21, citing the chemical spill. Toledo Public Schools, which serves roughly 21,000 students, shuttered 57 schools across the district.
“No students or staff should report. Families in that area under the shelter-in-place order are asked to continue following the updates from first responders,” the district said in a statement.
Washington Local Schools, which serves about 6,600 students, also announced that it was canceling classes.
‘Error’ during transfer caused chemical to leak, Ohio EPA says
The chemical leaked into the air because of an “error,” according to Bryant Somerville, a spokesperson for the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency.
“The release has been confirmed as Glycidyl Methacrylate, which is classified as flammable and has a noticeable odor. It came from a 5,500-gallon tank because of an error that occurred when the material was being transferred,” Somerville said in a statement.
Officials haven’t provided any further details on what caused the chemical to leak. USA TODAY reached out to MC Tank Transport for clarification on how the chemical was released.
Officials: Chemical smell doesn’t mean residents are in immediate danger
Residents even beyond the evacuation and shelter-in-place zones can smell and taste “something unnatural,” Kapszukiewicz said. People may also experience irritation in their eyes. The combination of the plume from the hazardous chemical and fog in the Toledo area has heightened concern, he said.
“There is a difference, though, between an annoying or unpleasant taste in your mouth or smell, and a dangerous or toxic amount of exposure. There is no question that we’re all kind of smelling and sensing something in the air. That doesn’t necessarily mean that it is something that is harming us immediately. There are levels of exposure to something like this,” Kapszukiewicz said.
Baroudi said the chemical is toxic and, given long-term exposure, a carcinogen. But he downplayed the immediate risks to residents being exposed after this incident.
“It’s really toxic if you touch it, if you ingest it. Now we’re trying to determine how much of a toxicity is in the air that people are breathing so that we can give better guidance,” Baroudi said.
If you feel irritation in the eyes or are breathing heavily, “just take a shower for now,” Baroudi said.
Thick fog reduces visibility, traps pollutants from spill
The thick fog in the area at the time the chemical leaked into the air may have prevented pollutants from dispersing in the atmosphere or being carried away by wind, according to AccuWeather meteorologists.
“Fog was already forming across northern Ohio before the chemical spill occurred,” AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski said. “Winds were largely calm, and a temperature inversion likely helped trap moisture and pollutants near the ground.”
A temperature inversion happens when a layer of warm air sits atop a layer of cooler air in the atmosphere, acting like a lid and preventing vertical air mixing, AccuWeather reported.
Company says it is working with authorities in response to chemical release
The tank that stores the glycidyl methacrylate has a 5,500-gallon capacity, the mayor said. MC Tank takes the chemical, stores it at its Ohio terminal, and then transports it, Toledo Fire and Rescue Battalion Chief Michael Posadny said. According to the company’s website, it specializes in liquid bulk transport.
An employee first called 911 and alerted authorities to the leak, Kapszukiewicz said.
MC Tank Transport said in a statement that its immediate concern is the safety of residents, first responders and employees and that it is working with authorities.
“We understand the serious disruption this incident has caused to nearby residents and businesses, particularly those required to evacuate their homes. We are committed to assisting those affected,” the statement reads. “We urge everyone in the area to follow all evacuation and shelter-in-place instructions issued by local authorities.”
What is MC Tank?
In 2025, MC Tank was acquired by another Ohio firm, Kenan Advantage Group, Inc., based in North Canton.
MC Tank’s eight terminals and three ISO container depots in the Southeast and Midwest were integrated into the KAG brand. The company delivers and stores “caustic soda, sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid and other specialty chemicals.”
Safety records for both trucking companies by the Department of Transportation show “satisfactory” ratings. KAG had 84 crashes in the last two years with one fatality, and MC Tank had 14 reportable crashes resulting in one fatality.
KAG, one of North America’s largest bulk fuel haulers, has made headlines for fiery tanker crashes over the past several decades. In 2014, one tanker spilled 3,200 gallons of gasoline in Vancouver, Washington, and another KAG truck’s tank ruptured at a Kentucky convenience store, spilling 1,000 gallons.
Contributing: Lauren Cohen, Akron Beacon Journal
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