Eight hospitalized after ammonia leak

EAST POINT - Eight people were hospitalized Wednesday, two in critical condition, after an ammonia leak in an ice-making plant spread the gas up to 500 yards away. <br> <br> About 200 people from nearby homes and businesses were evacuated for at least two hours because of the leak at Reddy Ice, one of the largest ice-making plants in metro Atlanta. <br> <br> Firefighters worked 20 minutes at a time inside the plant to shut off three of the four valves that supply ammonia to a .75-inch pipe that ruptured. <br> <br> East Point Fire Chief Rosemary Cloud said the hospitalized workers suffered breathing difficulties, and two of them may have been burned when the pipe burst. <br> <br> ``The ammonia had a really strong smell,&#39;&#39; said Wayne Elrod, who works for Professional Towing some 500 yards away. ``If you stay inside and keep the doors closed, it doesn&#39;t seem to be a problem.&#39;&#39;

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