Residents Report Dizziness, Burning Eyes After Chemical Release at Toledo Terminal

A chemical release at the MC Tank Terminal in Toledo on Tuesday night left some residents struggling to breathe and reporting dizziness, burning eyes and a strong toxic odor. Many neighbors said they had no idea at first what they were smelling or where it came from.

Officials later identified the chemical as glycidyl methacrylate. The hazardous material lingered in the air overnight, according to residents in the area.

Jahjuan Davis, who works at Sam's Deli on Matzinger Road, a little more than a mile from the terminal, said the evening had been routine until first responders came in. "It was just horrible. I mean, you felt lightheaded, dizzy a little bit, teary-eyed," Davis said. "That's when I knew, oh my gosh, that's something real."

Davis described a tense scene outside, with firefighters on the street and people in hazmat suits. Responders told those inside that hazardous material was in the air and that they needed to leave, so the deli was evacuated. "It was pretty scary," Davis said.

Other residents struggled to place the smell. Mickey Baker, of Toledo, said it simply "smelled toxic." Thomas Bode, also of Toledo, said it seemed to be a mix of fog and a chemical plume.

Christine Blom, who lives close to the release site, said her family could not get away from the odor. She recalled asking her granddaughter what the smell was, and the granddaughter said she was outside checking whether their house was on fire. It was not; the source was down the street. "We put our fans on all night. We all had our heads under blankets and masks on and everything," Blom said. "It was in the house and everything." She added that her chest felt sore from breathing it in.

The release disrupted Wednesday for the area, with several places, including schools, shutting down. Student Aubree Tiller said a warning on a phone was the first notice of the situation upon waking up. Baker said the hope is that the problem is fixed quickly.

The Red Cross opened a shelter at Shoreland Elementary School on Tuesday night for people who needed one, and set it up again Wednesday night.