Two Ammonia Leaks at Tennessee Cheese Factory Result in 29 Hospitalizations

The leaks at La Quesera Mexicana occurred during maintenance and led to an additional 53 employees being evaluated for potential illness from the toxic chemical.

A total of 29 workers were hospitalized after two separate leaks of anhydrous ammonia at the La Quesera Mexicana cheese factory in Greeneville, Tennessee.
The first leak occurred during maintenance on a valve around 7:15 a.m., resulting in six hospitalizations.
A second leak around 10 a.m. led to an additional 23 hospitalizations and 53 employees being evaluated for possible illness.
Anhydrous ammonia can damage the lungs and burn eyes and skin, and it's unclear whether the two leaks originated from the same source.
Local health systems set up incident command centers to handle the influx of patients, and there is reportedly no risk to the surrounding community.