Twenty-three Kellogg employees were evacuated Wednesday after a chemical leak hit the cereal giant’s Battle Creek, Michigan, headquarters, reports say.
The leak occurred in the north tower of 1 Kellogg Square in Battle Creek. Officials say a Freon leak is responsible for the scare.
“We had a refrigerant leak at our headquarters building this morning,” a spokesperson told WOOD TV. “The leak has been stopped, and we are cooperating with authorities to ensure it is safe to return to the building.”
Battle Creek Fire Chief David Schmaltz praised the company for its quick actions.
“It could have been far worse, but I think the reaction of what Kellogg did and then us coming in to support that I think we averted a dangerous situation,” Schmaltz said.
The chief also noted that Freon is “heavier than air… so it started to go down to some of the lower floors” in the building.
About 900 people work at the Kellogg HQ, but the incident only affected about two dozen people, 18 were hospitalized.
Follow Warner Todd Huston on Twitter @warnerthuston or email the author at igcolonel@hotmail.com.
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