Photo by David Dixon, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

TOLEDO, Ohio — The evacuation zone around a north Toledo chemical leak has been cut to a quarter-mile radius, Toledo Fire & Rescue announced Thursday morning, as hazmat crews continue working to end the hazardous release.

Firefighters adjusted the zone around the MC Tank Transport terminal at 1266 Progress Ave from a half-mile to a quarter-mile radius at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, according to the City of Toledo’s incident page. The shelter-in-place order was lifted Wednesday and remains lifted. No full all-clear has been issued.

The zone has shrunk steadily since the incident began: a 1-mile evacuation was ordered late Tuesday night after the release started, a 3-mile shelter-in-place order followed early Wednesday, and the evacuation radius was cut to a half-mile Wednesday evening.

The leak — glycidyl methacrylate venting from a 5,500-gallon tank following a material transfer error, per Ohio EPA — has sent about 60 people to area hospitals for treatment, health officials said, including one Lucas County sheriff’s deputy who was hospitalized. The chemical is an irritant that can cause burning of the eyes, nose, mouth and skin; symptoms of overexposure include headache, dizziness, tiredness, nausea and vomiting. Anyone feeling seriously ill should call 911 or go to an emergency room.

The U.S. EPA is overseeing air monitoring at several locations around the perimeter of the evacuation zone, and results will be shared as soon as they are available, the city said. The interstate remains open; drivers should keep windows up and recirculate cabin air. Roads immediately around the evacuation area are closed. Tap water is safe — the city says the water source is not contaminated.

City services return to normal operations today. Anyone unsure whether they are inside the reduced zone can enter their address in the interactive map on the City of Toledo’s incident page. U.S. EPA response updates are also available online. Read our full catch-up on the leak, from the release to the latest evacuation changes.