5 hospitalized, 2 in critical condition, after chemical leak in Spokane



SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — Five people were hospitalized, two in critical condition, after a hazardous materials leak at a Spokane business.

Workers at Pacific Steel and Recycling accidentally punctured a barrel Wednesday morning, releasing a yellow vapor plume that sickened workers there and at a nearby city building.

Officials say two people are listed in critical condition, two in serious condition and one in stable condition at Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center.

Spokane police spokeswoman Teresa Fuller says the substance in the barrel is believed to be arsenic trichloride, a highly toxic compound. Police were asking people to avoid a four-block radius around the company.

Nearby residents and business employees were told they should be prepared to evacuate.