Toxic Threat Forces Mass Evacuation In Oklahoma City, Sends Dozens To Hospital

Four people remain in critical condition after a chemical emergency shut down a small Oklahoma city overnight, forcing hundreds from their homes and overwhelming local hospitals.

A tanker truck carrying anhydrous ammonia failed in a Weatherford hotel parking lot Wednesday night, releasing toxic fumes that caused severe respiratory problems for anyone nearby. The driver had stopped at the Holiday Inn for the night when a valve or seal malfunctioned shortly before 10 p.m., The Associated Press (AP) reported citing officials’ statements.

Emergency crews in gas masks went door-to-door evacuating residents. Weatherford resident Krystal Blackwell fled in her pajamas.

“It was a little crazy to wake up to,” Blackwell told KWTV-TV. “I really thought it was a kind of dream.” (RELATED: Video Shows Passengers Evacuate After Delta Air Lines Plane’s Engine Catches Fire)

🚨Yesterday at 10 pm local time, an 8,500-gallon tank trailer carrying anhydrous ammonia experienced a valve failure while parked, resulting in the release of toxic gas over a square mile.

About 500 to 1,000 ppl were evacuated, including a hotel and 3 senior centers. 36… https://t.co/X5RllbtTN4

— U.S. Department of Transportation (@USDOT) November 13, 2025

The city of 12,000 people, located 70 miles west of Oklahoma City, mobilized shelters that held up to 600 evacuees by early Thursday, the AP reported. Officials closed schools and emptied multiple nursing homes as hazmat teams and Oklahoma National Guard units responded.

Police Chief Angelo Orefice said hospitals treated dozens of patients, with the most severe cases transferred to specialized facilities. Authorities lifted a shelter-in-place order Thursday morning after crews diluted the chemical, though cleanup will take days.

The AP reported that Airgas, a Pennsylvania-based gas distributor, issued a statement noting that “anhydrous ammonia warrants cautious handling and management.”

The substance, commonly used as agricultural fertilizer, could result in burns on contact.

The incident follows a similar ammonia leak in Mississippi that also forced evacuations.