Chemical Fumes Prompt Wis. Plant Evacuation

Nine workers were sent to a hospital after chemical fumes prompted an evacuation of a western Wisconsin plant.

Barron County Sheriff Chris Fitzgerald says his office was notified about 11:30 a.m. Thursday of the evacuation at the Sanmina plant in Turtle Lake.

Fitzgerald says three chemicals were mixed together, producing fumes. He says 60 employees were evacuated, and nine were taken to a hospital with minor respiratory problems.

As a precaution, residents of a nearby residential building for the elderly and a business also were evacuated and taken to an elementary school three blocks away. The residents have since been allowed to return. The school was not evacuated.

Crews were working on airing out the plant Thursday afternoon. The plant makes die-cast models and plastic parts.

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