By Harshit
WEATHERFORD, Oklahoma, Nov. 14, 2025 — 6:45 A.m. EDT
A leaking tanker truck parked behind a Holiday Inn Express unleashed a dangerous cloud of anhydrous ammonia across parts of Weatherford, Oklahoma, late Wednesday night, forcing hundreds of residents to evacuate and sending dozens to local hospitals, authorities confirmed Thursday.
The leak—described by emergency officials as one of the most severe chemical exposures the region has faced in years—filled hallways of the hotel with fumes and drifted into surrounding neighborhoods, prompting overnight door-to-door evacuations by firefighters in gas masks.
At least 34 people were treated at Weatherford Regional Hospital, while 11 others were transferred to Oklahoma City–area medical centers, several of whom remained in intensive care as of Thursday evening. Police said five responding officers suffered chemical burns to their airways during the rescue efforts.
A Sudden Leak and a Night of Panic
The leak began shortly after 11 p.m. when a gasket or valve seal failed on a tanker transporting 25,000 pounds of anhydrous ammonia, according to early findings from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and city officials.
The truck driver had parked for the night behind the Holiday Inn Express, unaware of the mechanical issue. Inside the hotel, oil field worker Michael Johnson of Nacogdoches, Texas, recalled hearing a “faint pop” followed by a sharp, suffocating odor.
“The smell itself punched me,” Johnson said. “When we stepped into the hallway, the elevator was already filling up with gas.”
Outside, Johnson saw vehicles engulfed in a white cloud. He fled on foot but realized his coworker was missing. A police officer located the man near their trucks and pulled him to safety.
“His lips were purple. His skin was red. His eyes looked burned,” Johnson said. “If that officer wasn’t there, he wouldn’t have made it.”
Another resident was found stumbling and disoriented, prompting Johnson to hand him his shirt as makeshift protection.
Emergency Response and Evacuations
Police and firefighters moved swiftly, instructing residents to either evacuate immediately or shelter in place. Roughly 500 to 600 people sought refuge at an emergency shelter established at a local community facility.
Some nursing homes were evacuated, and schools remained closed for the day due to lingering chemical hazards.
City officials later lifted the shelter-in-place order after air monitors showed ammonia levels declining to safe thresholds.
“We pretty much got a lot of this stuff diluted right now,” Weatherford Police Chief Louis Orefice said. “Cleanup will take several days.”
The EPA reported that subsequent air monitoring detected no ammonia in residential areas. Soil tests showed only minor contamination and pH levels along nearby creeks were considered normal.
Victims Treated; Chemical Exposure Serious
Victims exposed to anhydrous ammonia often suffer severe burns to the lungs, eyes, and skin, even after brief contact. The substance is a widely used agricultural fertiliser, but in high concentrations can be fatal.
Emergency rooms described symptoms including:
- Difficulty breathing
- Chemical burns
- Vision impairment
- Hypothermia-like skin effects
Several victims remained in critical but stable condition Thursday evening.
Families Struggle With Sudden Evacuations
For many residents, the hardest moments came during the frantic efforts to evacuate loved ones.
Weatherford resident Trisha Doucet said she became terrified when she learned the leak was only blocks away from the home where her mother was caring for her 89-year-old bedridden grandmother.
Emergency crews quickly dispatched an ambulance, but her grandmother resisted leaving.
“She kept saying, ‘But this is my house,’” Doucet recalled. “I told her, ‘I know it’s your house, but you really have to go.’”
A History of Dangerous Ammonia Spills
The Weatherford incident comes just a week after another ammonia leak prompted evacuations near Yazoo City, Mississippi. In 2023, five people were killed in Illinois when an anhydrous ammonia tanker overturned after being forced off the road.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is now investigating the Weatherford leak, focusing on potential mechanical failure of the truck’s valve system.
State environmental teams and the Oklahoma National Guard assisted in cleanup efforts throughout Thursday.