2 dead from chemical exposure at US plant

EAST ST. LOUIS, Illinois - Two people have died after exposure to a dangerous chemical at a storage and mixing plant, a city official said Sunday.

At least eight people were sickened by exposure to the chemical on Saturday, and emergency rooms were quarantined at two St. Louis hospitals where those people sought treatment.

In a statement issued early Sunday, East St. Louis City Manager Robert Betts said two people had died.

The chemical was released when a barrel was dropped at the Ro-Corp. plant. The lid popped off the barrel and a white powder came out, said Fire Chief Jim Silvernail from Mehlville, Missouri.

"It's like what would happen if you drop flour - it got all over them," Silvernail said.

The eight men who were at the plant sought treatment at several hospitals in the area, with some of them driving themselves, officials said.

Betts told KSDK-TV in St. Louis that the FBI would investigate because of the nature of the exposure. He said it was not certain that the employees had permission to be at the company on a Saturday.

Authorities were "99 percent" certain the chemical was nitroaniline, a highly toxic material.

Nitroaniline is commonly used in the synthesis of dyes, antioxidants, pharmaceuticals, gasoline, poultry medicines, and as a corrosion inhibitor. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration's Web site says it can cause vomiting, diarrhea, convulsions, respiratory arrest and other symptoms and ailments.

There was no immediate comment from Ro-Corp. Calls to its office in East St. Louis went unanswered Sunday. A company Web site says Ro-Corp is a packaging/repackaging facility for dry materials.