A hazmat incident at Mountaire Farms' Selbyville plant sent multiple people to the hospital Thursday morning.
According to Selbyville Fire Chief Matt Sliwa, firefighters were dispatched after a forklift went through a 500-gallon tank full of peracetic acid, an industrial sanitizer. A spokesman for Mountaire Farms tells WBOC that four employees in the parking area "came in contact with a substance that assists in microbial intervention – a process used to create a bacteria-free environment during production."
The spokesman says the incident occurred around 11:40 a.m., and sent four employees to the hospital. Mountaire's statement says all four were evaluated and released.
“Safety is our number one priority, both for our employees and the public," Mountaire Farms' statement reads.
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control is investigating the incident.