Repairs to hydrogen leak at manufacturing plant

A contract crew is expected to arrive this afternoon at the Ulbrich manufacturing plant near Westminster to repair a hydrogen leak discovered during the noon hour. Neither nearby homes nor businesses was required to evacuate, and Charlie King of Emergency Services said air monitoring equipment turned up no readings beyond 10 feet from the hydrogen container. First reports indicated the leak involved nitrogen. While Westminster Fire and county HAZMAT established a safe zone, authorities temporarily closed parts of SC 183 in the vicinity of the plant. According to King, hydrogen is a lighter than air product and quickly rises into the air once it leaves piping.