Gas leak evacuates business on Amnicola

A gas leak forced a business on Amnicola Highway to evacuate early this morning, according to the Chattanooga Fire Department.

When employees with Arcade Marketing arrived to work around 6 a.m., they were met by the strong smell of methane near a lab room. Employees evacuated the building and called the fire department, said Bruce Garner, spokesman for the department.

Once firefighters arrived on the scene, they used gas monitors inside the building and confirmed that oxygen levels were at dangerously low levels. At that point, the firefighters backed out and called for the haz-mat team.

After several minutes of monitoring the air and talking with company employees, the team determined that the low oxygen levels were probably due to high concentrations of methane, according to Garner.

According to the team, plumbers worked on a drain in the lab Wednesday and accidentally broke into a sewer line. Tactical Services Chief Danny Hague said the methane migrated from the sewer line into the the building.

Firefighters used high-powered fans to ventilate the building. No injuries have been reported, Garner said.

Arcade Marketing has about 220 employees and makes samples for the cosmetics and fragrance industry.

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