MELVINDALE, Mich. -- Environmental Protection Agency officials said a chemical scare in a Melvindale plating company has been contained and nearly 3,000 evacuated residents were allowed to return to their homes just before 10 p.m. on Monday.

Residents and three schools were evacuated after a leak was reported at the Reilly Plating on Clarann Street in Melvindale around 7 a.m. Monday.

“The first call the fire department received through police dispatch was about 7:20- 7:30 this morning,” said Chief Scott Wellman of the Melvindale Fire Department.

Three thousand residents who live or work in the area of Oakwood and Dix roads, including a small trailer park and a senior community center, were evacuated.

Many of those residents told Local 4, they will be filing a class-action lawsuit against the company.

Allendale Elementary students and Coogan Terrace Senior housing complex residents were relocated to the Melvindale Ice Arena.

Strong Junior High students were relocated to Baker College.

Melvindale High School was also evacuated.

Parents were able to pick up their children Monday afternoon.

“The evacuation that went on today was just a precautionary measure. We did it just to err on the side of safety… I don’t feel at anytime there was a real danger, but I just wanted to be safe,” said Melvindale Mayor Andrew Luzod.

Officials said it created a cloud and caused concern.

“This was not a spill. It was a release. It (Hydrochloric acid) was released into an overflow container, so it was not a direct spill. It was released into a container and it was contained. At the present time the overflowed container is being pumped out,” said Luzod.

Hazmat teams emptied the overflowed container.

Mail service to the area was halted Tuesday, but mail will be delivered Wednesday.

School will be in session on Wednesday.

Hydrochloric acid is the major component of gastric acid and is highly corrosive.

Both the mist and the solution could have a corrosive effect on human tissue, potentially damaging respiratory organs, eyes, skin and intestines.

“We have been air monitoring throughout the entire situation and we will continue to air monitor until the situation is mitigated. As of right now we have not seen any levels above any type of action level,” said Jeff Lippert of the Department of Environmental Quality.

Reilly Plating provides metal finishing services to the automotive and general industries. It specializes in barrel zinc and zinc/alloy electroplating, mechanical plating, phosphating, and painting.

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