Ammonia Leak Forces Evacuation Of Warehouse

DENVER -- An ammonia leak has forced the evacuation of a King Soopers warehouse on Yuma Street between First and Bayaud avenues.

Hazmat crews are on the scene.

Homes in the area could be evacuated, depending on the speed and direction of the wind, firefighters said.

A spokesman for Denver Fire said that a forklift operator hit the ammonia line just before 10:30 a.m. Crews turned the ammonia supply line off immediately and evacuated the building as a precaution.

King Soopers did exactly what they were supposed to and limited the damage and the spill, the fire department said.

There was some ammonia spilled on the ground but it was not very much, authorities said. Any larger and firefighters would have had to evacuated the surrounding buildings.

The affected area is in the meat plant portion of the warehouse. Ammonia is used for cooling inside the plant.

Denver Fire thinks it will take some time before the area is cleared and employees can go back in.

No one was hurt.