Man, horses suffer anhydrous burns
Staff writer
A 35-year-old man suffered severe anhydrous ammonia burns to his upper body and lungs Wednesday near US-77 and Broadway St. in Burns.
The man was unloading a semi truck with anhydrous ammonia when a hose failed, and a line burst. Gas doused the man’s face and entered his lungs, Marion County ambulance director Mickey Price said.
Burns fire chief Barry Black and Price couldn’t provide the man’s name under HIPAA laws. Price told the Record that the man was taken by helicopter to Ascension Via Christi St. Francis Hospital in Wichita.
Sheriff’s deputy Bruce Burke said the leak also affected seven horses nearby.
Five of the horses, owner Rick Claasen said, were taken to Kansas State University’s veterinary hospital in Manhattan. The other two, which are over 20 years old, are being treated at Animal Health Center of Marion County because it was closer and would cause less stress.
“No idea whether the horses will make a full recovery,” Claasen said.
A small vapor cloud was released when the line burst, Black said.
Valves shut automatically to mitigate the spread.
Winds brought vapor briefly across US-77 and into Claasen’s horse barn about 400 yards east of the storage tank.
Environmental health department arrived by 8:27 a.m.
A helicopter arrived about an hour after the hose broke. Firefighters told helicopter attendants before their arrival that the man was in critical condition with suffered burns to his face, eyes, lungs, mouth, and other extremities.
Firefighters flushed the burns and put him on oxygen. Ice also was on standby.
At standard atmospheric pressure, liquid ammonia turns into gas is 28 degrees below zero. Rapid evaporation causes temperatures to drop upon release. This creates severe frostbite hazards.
Mid Kansas Cooperative based in Moundridge has an anhydrous ammonia tank north of Broadway St. and west of US-77 in Burns.
A representative at Burns’ MKC office said the man worked for a vendor partnered with the co-op.
Previous versions of this story reported anhydrous ammonia gas didn't cross US-77, when in fact it did, affecting seven horses nearby. This story has since been updated.