CINCINNATI — A significant chemical leak from a train car disrupted life in a small Ohio town on Tuesday, leading to shelter-in-place and evacuation orders for residents.

Styrene, a hazardous and easily ignitable chemical, began leaking Tuesday afternoon from a train car close to Cleves, a suburb of Cincinnati with a population exceeding 3,400. Officials were worried the leak could lead to an explosion and ordered local residents to evacuate.

In addition to the evacuations, several nearby schools were closed and had to dismiss students due to the leak.

Emergency crews worked through the night to cool the affected railcar, which had ceased leaking by Wednesday morning, as reported by officials. They indicated that the leak likely stemmed from the chemical’s stabilizers losing effectiveness, according to Mike Miller, a spokesperson for the Central Railroad of Indiana.

“There are no air quality issues to worry about,” Miller stated on Wednesday afternoon.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reported that three permanent air monitoring stations and mobile teams did not detect any odors or harmful levels of styrene in the atmosphere overnight. By Wednesday evening, evacuation orders were rescinded, and highway traffic was resumed in the area.

According to 911 calls reviewed by Hamilton County Communications Center and dispatch records, emergency teams promptly arrived at the location — just minutes after the initial hazmat incident report was filed by a driver on U.S. 50. A total of 12 agencies responded to assist with the situation.

Documentation from dispatch logs and 911 calls acquired by The Cincinnati Enquirer, a member of the YSL News Network, illustrated the frantic events that unfolded on Tuesday.

‘There is an intense smell over here’

At 12:47 p.m. Tuesday, a man reported a chemical odor while calling from U.S. 50 and state Route 128 near a Kroger grocery store in Whitewater Township. He informed the dispatcher that a stationary train was emitting a chemical smell similar to that of spray paint.

“I believe a train is releasing some harmful gases it shouldn’t be,” the caller said. “I initially thought it was smoke, but it’s definitely not smoke. It’s chemicals.”

A woman who also called 911 described the intense odor she noticed from her home.

“There is an intense smell over here,” she reported. “I’m not sure if someone is making drugs, but it really smells like paint fumes or nail polish remover.”

Evacuation and shelter orders implemented by officials

By 1 p.m., first responders notified dispatch that they required roadblocks on U.S. 50 and state Route 128. The sheriff’s office was asked to close off the roads.

Shortly before 1:30 p.m., the Hamilton County Emergency Management Agency initiated evacuation and shelter-in-place directives for residents in and around Hooven, a census-area in Whitewater Township adjacent to Cleves. Public notifications were swiftly disseminated.

Hooven residents were alerted to evacuate when their cellphones erupted with emergency alerts regarding the styrene leak. Those living within a half-mile radius of the train car were instructed to leave, while those within three-quarters of a mile were advised to remain indoors.

Witnesses reported seeing a “smoke” cloud reaching upwards over Hooven. Around 2 p.m., crews began spraying water on the railcar’s tank using a fire hydrant at the intersection of U.S. 50 and state Route 128 due to the substantial chemical leak.

Cleves Water Works was called to provide an additional water supply, as firefighters indicated they needed a larger volume of water to cool the tank. In the afternoon, the Three Rivers schools were also evacuated.

Kroger store evacuated after unpleasant odor was reported

The train was stationed on the eastbound tracks directly opposite a Kroger store in Hooven. According to dispatch logs, a foul odor was reported at the rear of the store at 1:29 p.m.

The grocery store was immediately evacuated and closed. Kroger was instructed to turn off its air conditioning system.

Two ambulances were dispatched to the east side of the building, as detailed in dispatch records. However, it remains unclear if anyone was taken to the hospital or treated on-site.

First responders sprayed water as temperature in tank car rose

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources requested to be alerted if there were any effects on wildlife or waterways. This request was made at 3:49 p.m. Officials confirmed that no water sources or animals were impacted, but they would inform the department if changes occurred.

Drones were used to monitor the temperature of the tank car. Although specific readings are not clear, temperatures were reported to be rising as of 5:07 p.m.