Residents confined to their homes after hazardous chemical leak at ConAgra

At about 6 p.m. Thursday evening, June 14, a hazardous material release forced residents along East 18th Street to take shelter inside their homes for nearly three hours.

Magnesium phosphide, a chemical used for fumigation, was released from the ConAgra Mill property. The fire department is still investigating how the chemical came to be released. Magnesium phosphide is an inhalation hazard and also reacts with water.

“So obviously the rain didn’t help,” said Fire and EMS Director Mike Schutt.

Responders went door to door to residents on the south side of East 18th Street over a two-block area and had them go inside their homes and turn off their air conditioning to keep the chemical from being circulated into their homes.

Working with the Dakota County Special Operations Team, Hastings responders controlled and removed the chemical. By about 8:40 p.m., the area was cleared and residents notified that it was safe to be outside again.

No one was injured in the incident.

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