Industrial Accident Causes Scare in Walton

No injuries are being reported following an industrial accident in Delaware County that dispatched the Hazardous Materials Teams from several counties and canceled after school activities in the Walton School District May 11.

Officials say a truck delivering material to the Walton Wastewater Treatment Plant at around 11:30 a.m., dumped the contents into the wrong tank causing a chemical reaction that released possible harmful gasses.

School officials said that students and staff were dismissed as quickly as possible once it was determined that the wind was carrying the gas toward the schools.

Classes were due to resume on the normal schedule May 12.

HAZMAT and fire crews from Delaware, Broome and Chenango were on the scene, some until 10 p.m. Neutralizing agents were put into the tank to the reverse the chemical reaction.

Ten acres around the treatment facility were cordoned off at one point and residents were told to stay inside with windows closed for several hours.