Cause of ammonia leak at Pitman Farms revealed by Sanger Fire

SANGER, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – The Sanger Fire Department revealed the origin of an ammonia leak astatine Pitman Farms successful Sanger Monday.

At astir 3 a.m. connected Nov. 3, occurrence crews were alerted to a imaginable hazardous materials incidental involving anhydrous ammonia astatine Pitman Farms astatine 1489 K Street successful Sanger. 

Fire crews accidental erstwhile they arrived, employees from Pitman Farms had already been evacuated and exigency crews met with installation representatives to find the grade of the ammonia leak.

Fire officials accidental the ammonia was isolated successful a ample freezer country wrong the facility. It was determined that an accidental nonaccomplishment of a instrumentality wrong the cooling portion wrong the freezer failed, causing the ammonia release. 

During the incidental connected Nov. 3, Sanger Fire said a communal assistance petition was made for a level 1 hazardous materials team, and the Fresno Fire Department responded to assistance successful the mitigation efforts. 

Due to the ammonia odor successful the surrounding neighborhood, shelter-in-place advisement was issued for those successful the contiguous area.

Emergency crews accidental they continued to marque introduction into the hazardous space, performed aerial monitoring of the affected and surrounding areas, and utilized ventilation techniques to support the nationalist harmless portion the ammonia dissipated.