Meat packaging facility evacuated
About 100 employees were evacuated from the Smithfield Packaging Co. in Cheverly early Tuesday morning because of an ammonia leak, fire officials said.
The refrigeration system in the food packaging company started leaking about 12:15 a.m., releasing an irritant into the air. It took fire officials about four hours to get the leak under control, said Mark Brady, a spokesman for the Prince George's County Fire/EMS Department.
Smithfield Packaging, in the 5800 block of Columbia Park Road, packages fresh pork, smoked meats, bacon, cooked hams and hot dogs for retail, according to a company Web site.
By
Allison Klein
| February 8, 2011; 8:51 AM ET
Categories:
Allison Klein, Pr. George's
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