Booze plant creates noxious plume over city after mixing a chemical cocktail

A plant that makes bourbon, whiskey, gin and other distilled spirits accidentally concocted a chemical cocktail that spewed a dangerous fog over Atchison, Kan., on Friday.

The floating cloud that smelled strongly of bleach sent dozens of people to the hospital, spurred evacuations and closed major highways. A local emergency room treated at least 26 people for respiratory issues.

The chemical fog developed around 8 a.m. after workers at the MGP Ingredients' sewage facility inadvertently mixed two unknown chemicals.

"No fire, no explosion, just a plume developed when two chemicals were mixed with each other," City Manager Trey Cocking said at a press conference.

Read more: http://www.jsonline.com/story/news/2016/10/21/booze-plant-creates-noxious-plume-over-city-after-accidentally-mixing-chemical-cocktail/92515618/