COLD SPRING, Minn. — The Stearns County Sheriff's Office confirmed 26 people were treated at the St. Cloud Hospital after a chemical spill was reported inside a poultry processing plant in Cold Spring.

According to authorities, the substance, peracetic acid, was spilled inside Pilgrim's Pride Friday morning, causing the plant to evacuate. The sheriff's office confirmed the acid was contained inside the building.

The hospital said it followed decontamination procedures as patients started to arrive. Police said "numerous employees" were assessed at the scene, while 26 were taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. As of 2 p.m., the plant said 15 have been released, and all are expected to be released by the end of the day.

According to Pilgrim, the facility remains closed

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