Chemical leak at Tennessee cheese factory La Quesera Mexicana sends 29 workers to the hospital

GREENEVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Officials in the Tennessee city of Greeneville are working to determine the cause of a leak of anhydrous ammonia that sent 29 workers to the hospital Wednesday morning. Greeneville City Manager Todd Smith says the fire department was first called to La Quesera Mexicana, a local cheese factory, at 7:15 a.m. where a leak occurred during maintenance on a valve. Six people were hospitalized and the leak was believed fixed. However, a second call about a leak came at 10:01 a.m. and another 23 people were hospitalized. Smith says they aren’t sure if the two leaks had the same source. He says the leak is now repaired and there is no threat to the surrounding community.