Excerpts from the Journal-Topics.com:
Niles firefighters responded to a fire alarm at 12:32 p.m. at the Microlink plant, 6457 Howard St., when they found a small fire in the northwest area of the building. Firefighters found that workers were cleaning a 30-gallon drum containing phosphorus at or near the area of the fire, causing phosphine gas to release from the drum. Phosphine gas is poisonous and an irritant if inhaled.
About 40 workers evacuated the plant when automated alarms in the building sounded. Although everyone from the plant had evacuated by the time firefighters arrived, several employees were unaccounted for causing firefighters to search the building. Those workers were later found safe outside the plant.
Several workers were evaluated, but none were transported to the hospital. Firefighters deployed hazardous material decontamination pools.
