“If I was going to have any chance, I had to go”
WEATHERFORD — Drumright Police Chief Chris Reinke gives his perspective on the recent Weatherford anhydrous ammonia leak as one of the people hospitalized following the incident. He described his controlled but urgent escape from the third floor of a nearby hotel after a chemical leak in the parking lot had engulfed the area in a cloud of toxicity.
Initial Signs of Trouble
Reinke said he first noticed something was wrong when he woke up with his eyes and throat burning. He was able to identify the smell of ammonia quickly and with his longtime career in law enforcement, he knew he was going to have to act fast.
“I figured if I was going to have any chance, I had to go then,” he said, recounting awakening to the potentially deadly situation.
He said despite his training in law enforcement being an asset, a wide range of emotion filled the atmosphere for everyone involved.
“We train in stressful situations for a reason. We are all human and all occasionally experience doubt in extreme situations — this was one of them for me,” he said. “There was panic, confusion, and calmness at some point or another.”
After realizing the danger, he monitored his room for safety finding that the fumes grew stronger near the window unit. Looking outside his window he discovered the source — an Airgas tanker truck hauling anhydrous ammonia. He exited the room realizing the extremity of the situation with every step.
“I realized something was wrong when I figured out it was an ammonia smell in my room. I knew it was a bigger problem when the hallway had the same issue. I knew it was an extremely critical problem when I opened the first stairwell door,” Reinke said.
He found his way to the stairwell only to be overwhelmed by even more burning in his lungs, throat, and eyes. He went to the opposite stairwell to see if it would work as an alternate exit — it was still hazardous but passable.
“I knew I was on the clock to get out,” he said. “Every small breath you take burns.”
He descended the three floors taking three to four steps each time and attempted to avoid taking deep breaths while focusing on reaching ground level. Even after exiting the hotel Reinke said that visibility was limited due to the thick mist of ammonia that had encompassed the area.
“You just keep putting one foot in front of the other,” he said.
Reinke eventually reached safety as he found his way to what he assumed to be local first responders on scene.
“As your steps are getting smaller and smaller you feel someone grab you and tell you they have you,” he said. “All you know is that their arms are around you and they are going to help you and you are wondering if it’s too late.”
Treatment and Recovery
Reinke recounted seeing another individual who was coughing up blood before being transported by paramedics. At the hospital, staff monitored his breathing and discussed the possibility of transferring him to Oklahoma City.
“They were worried about possibly having to intubate me,” he said.
Reinke’s wife, Dorothy, was at home asleep when she received a call at 11:30 p.m. that night about what had happened.
22 “At first nothing made sense,” she said.
However, once she understood the situation all she wanted was to be with her husband, saying her first thought was “I had to get to him”.
Dorothy was also well aware of the severity of the chemical that was involved adding an extreme layer of concern.
“I knew what anhydrous ammonia was and the dangers of it,” she said. “Even just a little bit can kill someone. I started praying and begging God please not to take him.”
Reinke has since been released but continues to experience symptoms including severe eye irritation, swelling and irritation in his esophagus, and a burning sensation in his lungs.
“As of Saturday (Nov. 15) I’m still battling the voice, coughing, occasional nausea, shortness of breath, and not sleeping well,” he said.
As of Nov. 15, Reinke was unsure if the doctors expected a full recovery saying it was “too early to tell” and that he had a follow up appointment in the coming week.
Now that Chris has made it home — perhaps worse for wear but safely — Dorothy expressed relief at his return and frustration at the lack of alerts inside the hotel.
“He was in that hotel room for over an hour asleep and no alarms went off, no fire alarms, no knocks. Nothing,” she said.
Chris said the thought of not making it out of the hotel remains prominent in his mind but will take the challenges that living through the incident holds head on.
“On any given day your life can change. Those types of experiences give rise to multiple challenges in daily life. I am no different than any other human being — I will face those challenges head on,” he said.