Minnesota City Evacuated Due To Ammonia Spill

RANDOLPH, Minn. (AP) - Emergency government officials have evacuated a small city in eastern Minnesota because of an industrial ammonia spill. Dakota County emergency preparedness coordinator David Gisch says about 400 residents of Randolph were sent to the Hampton fire station about 8 miles away. Students at the city's school complex were evacuated to St. Mark's church outside the city limits. He says about a dozen students were taken to area hospitals after experiencing some signs of exposure Also, Gisch says an elderly woman became ill and was transported for treatment.

Gisch says the anhydrous ammonia spill happened at a grain elevator just north of Randolph. He says a line ruptured as the ammonia was being transferred from a semi to a storage tank Wednesday morning.

Gisch says anhydrous ammonia can cause respiratory difficulties.

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)