No injuries in Naperville chlorine leak

Hazardous materials technicians were dispatched to Naperville's water treatment plant for a gaseous chlorine leak Wednesday morning.

No one was injured in the incident.

Firefighters were called about 9:15 a.m. after a potential leak was discovered at the Water Reclamation and Treatment Facility, 3612 Plainfield/Naperville Road. The Hazardous Materials Response Unit determined that a 150-pound cylinder in a chlorination room was leaking gaseous chlorine from a valve stem, according to a news release from Deputy Fire Chief Mike Zywanski.

He said other equipment performed as it was designed to do to keep the situation from worsening. The chlorination room contained the leak, keeping it from entering the outside air and the plug in the valve stem kept the cylinder from overpressurizing and possibly exploding.

Hazardous materials technicians from Naperville, Lisle-Woodridge and Downers Grove dressed in special suits and self-contained breathing apparatus spent two hours containing the leak.

Officials say there was no danger to the public and no firefighters, hazardous materials technicians or civilians were injured.

The water treatment facilities were not damaged and the plant is fully operational, Zywanski said.

He said a malfunctioning electric heater unit caused high temperatures in the building, which in turn contributed to the leak.