The Hiwassee River was temporarily closed to boat traffic this morning after chlorine leaked from Olin's Charleston plant.
Olin officials said the river has reopened and no employees at the Charleston plant were injured by what company spokesman J.D. Dobson called "an unintended chlorine release."
"There have been no exposures or injuries among our employees, all of whom are safe and carrying out their duties," Dobson said. "We are working closely with the Bradley and McMinn County Emergency Management Authorities and supporting their measures to ensure the public is not affected, which included temporarily suspending traffic on the Hiwassee River, which has been reopened."
Olin's Charleston facility was built in 1960 and produces bleach, caustic soda, chlorine, hydrochloricacid, hydrogen and potassium hydroxide for the paper, textiles, vinyl products, water treatment, food processing and other industries.
Olin Chemical