Fond du Lac neighborhood told to shelter in place after ammonia leak Tuesday night

Photo courtesy of Clayton Matulle

About 20 square blocks of Fond du Lac were advised to shelter in place Tuesday evening, June 19, 2024, and into the night as the City of Fond du Lac Fire/Rescue worked an ammonia leak inside Milk Specialties at 325 Tompkins Street.

Just before 5 PM, a request for the fire department came in when employees at Milk Specialties suspected a leak in a refrigeration room inside the business.

Initially, fire crews did a check of air quality around the building to find low readings of ammonia, but once suited up in hazardous materials outfits and inside, they found extremely high readings of ammonia in a compressor room where the product is pressurized for cooling purposes.

The Fire Department utilized assistance from the Kuhlman Refrigeration Company which came to the scene to secure the leak. While this was occurring, a media notice went out, as well as Fond du Lac Police and fire officials going door to door, to have residents north of the scene shelter in place, not going outside if not necessary. With winds blowing to the north, northeast, this shelter in place area extended north to Division Street, between Hickory and Brooke Streets.

At 10:40 PM the leak was finally shut down and the shelter in place was lifted shortly after.

The City of Fond du Lac Fire Department remained on scene until 1:35 AM to properly ventilate the building before turning it over to company representatives.

One worker was transported to SSM St Agnes hospital by Fond du Lac Fire Rescue paramedics for evaluation and no emergency responders sustained any injuries during the incident.