Antioch chemical spill under investigation as cleanup continues

Clean up was underway and the site and water sources were being monitored Thursday as an investigation continued into the type, cause and extent of a reported chemical leak at a vacant industrial building on Anita Avenue in Antioch.

The orange-red liquid was being tested but had not been identified, according to Antioch Fire Chief Jon Cokefair. There have been no injuries or danger to the public, he added.

"We continue to investigate how this spill happened and the extent," Cokefair said. He added the biggest concern was to ensure there was no runoff into Sequoit Creek or the village's sanitary system.

Illinois Environmental Protection Agency spokeswoman Kim Biggs said the agency responded Tuesday with the Antioch fire, police and public works departments and the U.S. EPA. The chemical was suspected to be ferric chloride but that has not been confirmed by lab tests, Biggs said.

One use of ferric chloride is as an etching agent in photoengraving, according to Merriam-webster.com. Biggs said it is used in plating processes. "Our primary concern is containing the spill and ensuring the impacted area is remediated," she said.

A sand berm has been constructed at the property line at Sequoit Creek, Biggs said. Remaining liquids are being pumped from the building and residue is being neutralized, she added.

According to the village website, Antioch police and fire departments responded about 8:15 p.m. Monday to an industrial building on the 800 block of Anita Avenue for a reported chemical leak.

The substance was described as an "unknown industrial chemical" and authorities, including the Lake & McHenry County HazMat response team, began to investigate. The fire department reported no risk to the surrounding community, according to the website.

An update at 12:30 a.m. Tuesday reported the spill had been contained to the building interior and no significant exposure to the creek had occurred, according to the village.

Cokefair said the leak may have started last Friday. He said a nearby tenant noticed the distinct color and called a property manager.