A strong chemical odor prompted evacuations of 50 homes Thursday morning in Trooper, Montgomery County and sent four people to the hospital complaining of breathing problems.
The Lower Providence Township Fire Chief said officials got the call from employees of ER Joseph Company located at 12 Woodlyn Avenue complaining of a strong odor of chlorine just after 9 a.m. The company manufactures compressed gas.
Officials said Friday the fumes came from MAWA Inc., a company across the street that tests and maintains cylinders. One worker was hospitalized.
People in homes near the intersection of South Trooper Road and Woodlyn were told to leave after some complained of difficulty breathing. A temporary shelter was set up at Lower Providence Fire Company.
Emergency officials from Lower Providence Township and Montgomery County responded to ventilate the area and take air samples before residents would be allowed back into their homes.
Residents were allowed back into their homes at noon after all ventilation was completed.
Investigators were working Friday to identify why the chlorine was on the premises at MAWA and how it was released into the air. They'll also determine if the company had emergency plans and if they were followed. The facility remained closed Friday.
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Lower Providence Township officials, Department of Environmental Protection and OSHA continued to investigate the incident.
