Forklift Strikes Ammonia Line, Triggering Major Multi-County Hazmat Response

Williamson, NY - Firefighters and regional hazardous materials assets executed a complex, multi-agency containment operation Tuesday afternoon after an industrial accident sheared an anhydrous ammonia line at Williamson Cold Storage in Wayne County.

At approximately 1:15 p.m. on September 29, 2026, Williamson Fire Company 1 was dispatched to the facility following reports that an operating forklift had struck and ruptured an interior ammonia piping line. Arriving first on location, Chief Manahan observed a visible chemical fog venting from the east side of the structure.

Williamson crews immediately deployed an engine and a ladder truck to set up protective water curtains. Responders positioned portable ground master streams and utilized the aerial ladder's master stream with wide fog patterns to create a dense water shield, absorbing and knocking down the water-soluble ammonia vapor from migrating into the atmosphere and adjacent neighborhoods.

Due to the extreme respiratory and chemical risks associated with industrial ammonia, incident command requested county-wide coordination. The Wayne County Fire Coordinator and two Deputy Coordinators responded to provide command-level oversight.

Mutual aid was initiated in tiers: East Williamson Fire responded to cover the main station before moving directly to the scene to operate on the building's west side, while the Marion Fire Department moved up to cover East Williamson's district. Standby details were established for Ontario and Pultneyville fire departments.

Specialized hazmat teams from Ontario, Seneca, and Cayuga counties, alongside the Wayne County Decontamination Team, were alerted and placed on high readiness before being stood down once primary mitigation held.

Working alongside technicians from K.M. Davies Company, emergency crews successfully isolated and shut down the damaged line, stopping the leak at its source. New York State Police and the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office managed traffic perimeters and road closures, while the Williamson Volunteer Ambulance Service and Ontario Volunteer Emergency Service staged medical triage and standby assets.

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYS DEC) conducted continuous environmental monitoring to ensure air and water runoff met safety benchmarks. Following final air clearances, Williamson personnel packed equipment and officially returned to service around 4:30 p.m.