Residents asked to shelter in place for 2½ hours after chlorine spill in Northeast Baltimore at local filtration plant

Residents living near Baltimore’s Hillen neighborhood and around Lake Montebello were asked to shelter in place for about 2½ hours as firefighters investigated a chlorine spill from a local filtration plant.

Baltimore Fire Department spokeswoman Blair Adams said firefighters were called to the 4000 block of Hillen Road just before 4 p.m. for the spill.

Adams said the chlorine came from the Montebello Water Filtration Plant and it’s believed to be contained, she said, though the department has not officially confirmed it.

“There does not seem to be a threat to the community, but there may be some smells of chlorine in the area,” Adams said.

However, the Baltimore City Office of Emergency Management asked residents to shelter in their homes “until further notice.” By about 6:30 p.m., the agency said residents could leave the area and that firefighters had left the scene.

Chlorine can cause respiratory problems as well as eye and nose irritation, sore throat and cough, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. If an individual is exposed to copious amounts of the chemical, death is possible.