Ink fumes spark call to local packaging company; three taken for hospital evaluation

Mar 19, 2015 2:50 PM

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Several fire departments and emergency personnel were called to Menasha Packaging Co. at 9 Gateway Commerce Center Drive in Mitchell this morning to what turned out to be a problem with ink fumes.

Edwardsville Fire Department Capt. James Whiteford was on the scene with the department in the mutual aid call. Edwardsville, Glen Carbon, Long Lake, Granite City, Mitchell and Wood River Fire Department personnel responded, along with Alton Memorial and the Madison County HAZMAT crew.

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Three people were taken by ambulance for hospital evaluation and eight others were evaluated and didn’t go to the hospital.

Whiteford said no one appeared to be in “serious” condition from the incident.

“They took in fumes from a pallet they were unloading from a delivery truck,” he said of those who had difficulties. “They were delivering products that had absorbed the fumes of something else in the load and it made it give off smells of fumes.”

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Some parts of metal that had rust inhibitions or lubricants, appeared to cause the fumes,” Whiteford said.

Initially it was reported it had been a chemical spill but that was not correct. The call to the various departments went out at 9:30 a.m. and Edwardsville Fire Department returned to the station about three hours later.

Whiteford said initially investigators didn’t know what the problem was so everything was handled with precaution.

Menasha Packaging works in the merchandising supply chain from strategy development, packing, display design, manufacturing, to distribution and transportation.