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Chemical tank explosion in Toledo, Ohio, prompts evacuations and shelter-in-place orders

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Coverage spectrum

Covered by 15 outlets across the spectrum.

20 articles in total. The spectrum counts each outlet once and leaves opinion out. How we measure bias

Yellow tanker truck with tank trailer parked beside large white industrial storage tanks at a terminal.
Image via Washington ExaminerHow images are chosenReport this image

An explosion at a chemical tank at MC Tank Terminal in north Toledo, Ohio, on Tuesday night released glycidyl methacrylate, an industrial coating chemical, according to the company and city officials. Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz ordered residents within one mile to evacuate, a group he said was more than 900 people, and ordered those within three miles to shelter in place. One person, a first responder, was injured, and officials said the injury was not believed to be serious. Officials said the chemical was mostly an irritant so far, causing watery eyes, and that tests were ongoing. The chemical was still leaking on Wednesday, and the cause of the explosion was under investigation.

Headline and summary written by Mantle’s AI from the coverage below, under published rules. How this works

What happened

Key points

Each point shows who reports it, from Far Left to Far Right.

  1. An explosion at a chemical tank in north Toledo, Ohio, occurred on Tuesday night around 9:30 p.m.

    Reported byFar Left1Left4Center1Right1Far Right3See the outletsHide the outlets
    Far Left
    The Daily Beast
    Left
    The New York Times, ABC News, The Guardian, CBS News
    Center
    PBS NewsHour
    Right
    New York Post
    Far Right
    Just the News, The Epoch Times, RedState

  2. The chemical released was glycidyl methacrylate, according to the company that operates the tank.

    Reported byFar Left1Left3Center1Right1Far Right3See the outletsHide the outlets
    Far Left
    The Daily Beast
    Left
    NBC News, ABC News, The Guardian
    Center
    PBS NewsHour
    Right
    New York Post
    Far Right
    Just the News, The Epoch Times, RedState

  3. The city ordered residents within one mile to evacuate, about 900 to 1,000 people, according to the mayor.

    Reported byFar Left1Left4Center1Right1Far Right3See the outletsHide the outlets
    Far Left
    The Daily Beast
    Left
    The New York Times, ABC News, The Guardian, CBS News
    Center
    PBS NewsHour
    Right
    New York Post
    Far Right
    Just the News, The Epoch Times, RedState

  4. Residents within three miles were ordered to shelter in place.

    Across the spectrumReported byFar Left1Left5Center2Right1Far Right3See the outletsHide the outlets
    Far Left
    The Daily Beast
    Left
    NBC News, The New York Times, ABC News, The Guardian, CBS News
    Center
    The Hill, PBS NewsHour
    Right
    New York Post
    Far Right
    Townhall, The Epoch Times, RedState

  5. A sheriff’s deputy or first responder was injured, and officials said the injury was not believed to be serious.

    Reported byFar Left1Left2Right1Far Right1See the outletsHide the outlets
    Far Left
    The Daily Beast
    Left
    NBC News, The Guardian
    Right
    New York Post
    Far Right
    The Epoch Times

  6. Health officials said the chemical was mostly an irritant so far, causing watery eyes.

    Reported byLeft1Right1See the outletsHide the outlets
    Left
    The Guardian
    Right
    New York Post

What is contested

Where accounts differ

Points the coverage does not agree on, and who says what.

  • The released chemical is a toxic plume that poses a dangerous threat to residents.

    RedState and Daily Beast describe a toxic cloud and toxic fumes, while health officials cited in the New York Post and the Guardian describe an airborne irritant that is mostly causing watery eyes so far.

How each side tells it

Compare views

All sides report an explosion at a chemical tank in north Toledo Tuesday night, a chemical release, evacuations within a mile and shelter orders within three miles. Left and center headlines lead with the explosion and the orders, while right outlets, especially RedState, stress the toxic plume.

  • the left

    6 outlets

    Left headlines report the explosion, the release and the evacuation and shelter orders in plain terms, with CBS adding that the haze could be dangerous.

    Toledo chemical explosion prompts evacuations and shelter-in-place orders
    NBC NewsLeftAll left-leaning headlines

  • the center

    2 outlets

    Center headlines state the orders and the release plainly; the PBS headline, on an AP report, adds the chemical name and fears of another blast.

    Evacuation and shelter-in-place orders after chemical release in North Toledo
    The HillCenterAll center headlines

  • the right

    7 outlets

    Right headlines mostly report the orders and the release, but RedState calls it a massive toxic plume blanketing the city, the strongest wording on the side.

    Officials in Toledo Issue Evacuation Order Over Chemical Release
    The Epoch TimesFar RightAll right-leaning headlines

The words they chose

Language to notice

Words that carry a judgement beyond the facts. Tap a highlighted word anywhere on the page to see why.

  • Left2

    Sparks Outrageerupted

  • Center0

    No loaded words in its own voice.

  • Right3

    toxic cloudMassive Toxic Chemical Plumehit with

In the outlets’ own words

  • Loaded verb

    Sparks OutrageMore neutral: drew criticism from (name who)

    Outrage from whom? Name the critics and their number.

    …Midterm Voting Numbers 03:07 Attack Ad Featuring Candidate’s Estranged Mother Sparks Outrage 02:16 NBA Tip-off Preview: Players to Watch, Underdogs, More 05:14 Can the Knicks…

    Used byNBC News (Left)

  • Loaded verb

    eruptedMore neutral: came out

    The verb suggests a sudden violent burst, where the article reports a plume of smoke.

    A plume of smoke full of unknown chemicals erupted from the MC Tank terminal.

    Used byCBS News (Left)

  • Sensational language

    toxic cloudMore neutral: chemical cloud

    The phrase presents the release as more dangerous than the officials' account, which describes an irritant so far.

    …manufacturing plastics, paints, and various coatings – exploded and released the toxic cloud into the air.

    Used byRedState (Far Right)

  • Sensational language

    Massive Toxic Chemical PlumeMore neutral: Chemical plume over parts of Toledo

    Massive and toxic overstate what officials have described, which is a release mostly causing irritation so far.

    Massive Toxic Chemical Plume Blankets Toledo After Tank Explosion, Hundreds Evacuated

    Used byRedState (Far Right)

Show 1 more phrasesShow fewer

  • Loaded verb

    hit withMore neutral: Toledo, Ohio, sees evacuations and shelter-in-place orders

    Hit with suggests the town was struck by an attack, while the event was a chemical release and orders.

    Toledo, Ohio hit with evacuations and shelter-in-place orders after toxic chemical release

    Used byNew York Post (Right)

See the full language guide

See for yourself

Side by side

What each side leads with and what it leaves out. Open a side to read its headlines.

From the left

6 outlets

Leads with

  • The explosion and chemical release
  • Evacuation and shelter-in-place orders
  • Potential health risks of the haze

Leaves out

  • Shelter zone extending into Michigan
  • Deputy who drove himself to hospital

Reported by other sides, not found in this side’s coverage.

See the 6 headlines from the leftHide the headlines

From the center

2 outlets

Leads with

  • Evacuation and shelter-in-place orders
  • The chemical release
  • Fears of another blast
See the 2 headlines from the centerHide the headlines
  • The HillCenter

    Evacuation and shelter-in-place orders after chemical release in North Toledo

    Residents in north Toledo are being ordered to shelter-in-place or evacuate depending on their location after a chemical was released into the air late Tuesday night.

    Read at The Hill (opens in a new tab)
  • PBS NewsHourCenterAssociated Press report

    Chemical tank explosion in Ohio of glycidyl methacrylate forces evacuations, prompts fears of another blast

    PBS NewsHour published a report that is shown in full at ABC News. The headline is the one PBS NewsHour gave it.

    Read at PBS NewsHour (opens in a new tab)

From the right

7 outlets

Leads with

  • Evacuation and shelter orders
  • Toxic plume over the city
  • Nearly 1,000 residents displaced

Leaves out

  • Company headquartered in Arkansas and executives traveling to Toledo

Reported by other sides, not found in this side’s coverage.

See the 7 headlines from the rightHide the headlines
  • New York PostRightAssociated Press report

    Toledo, Ohio Loaded verb“hit with”Hit with suggests the town was struck by an attack, while the event was a chemical release and orders.More neutral: Toledo, Ohio, sees evacuations and shelter-in-place ordersDisagree with this highlight? evacuations and shelter-in-place orders after toxic chemical release

    Nearly 1,000 Toledo residents were ordered to evacuate after a chemical tank explosion sparked fears of toxic fumes and further blasts.

    Read at New York Post (opens in a new tab)
  • RedStateFar Right

    Sensational language“Massive Toxic Chemical Plume”Massive and toxic overstate what officials have described, which is a release mostly causing irritation so far.More neutral: Chemical plume over parts of ToledoDisagree with this highlight? Blankets Toledo After Tank Explosion, Hundreds Evacuated

    A massive plume of smoke blanketed parts of Toledo, Ohio, in the early hours of Wednesday morning after a tank containing a toxic chemical mix exploded, forcing hundreds of nearby residents to evacuate their homes.

    Read at RedState (opens in a new tab)
  • The Epoch TimesFar Right

    Officials in Toledo Issue Evacuation Order Over Chemical Release

    Everyone within a one-mile radius of the Ohio city were ordered to evacuate.

    Read at The Epoch Times (opens in a new tab)
  • Washington ExaminerRight

    Chemical spill in Toledo prompts limited evacuation

    A chemical spill in Toledo, Ohio, prompted an evacuation order for parts of the city, and a shelter-in-place order for more. On Tuesday, Toledo Fire and Rescue ordered everyone within a one-mile radius of an MC Tank Terminal at 1266 Progress Ave. …

    Read at Washington Examiner (opens in a new tab)
  • The Washington TimesRight

    Ohio authorities order evacuations, shelter-in-place in Toledo after chemical release

    Authorities in Ohio ordered some residents in Toledo to evacuate and others to shelter-in-place after a "hazardous materials release" in the city late Tuesday.

    Read at The Washington Times (opens in a new tab)
  • TownhallFar Right

    Chemical Leak Prompts Evacuation, Shelter-In-Place Orders in Toledo

    There has been a HAZMAT incident in Toledo, Ohio overnight following a chemical leak, and it's prompting both evacuations and shelter in place orders for Toledo residents. …

    Read at Townhall (opens in a new tab)
  • Just the NewsFar Right

    Nearly 1,000 residents of Toledo evacuated after chemical explosion

    The chemical released was glycidyl methacrylate, which is used to "make certain plastics, paints and coatings perform better."

    Read at Just the News (opens in a new tab)
    1 more from Just the News

Articles you open from here build My Mix, a private picture of how your reading spreads across the spectrum, kept on this device. What is My Mix?

The left is Far Left and Left together. The right is Right and Far Right together. Every outlet keeps its own five-point rating.

Who reported it when

How the coverage built up

  • Left

    First to report

    NBC News, Oct 21, 4:23 AM EDT

  • Center

    3 hr 26 min later

    Its first report, Oct 21, 7:49 AM EDT

  • Right

    3 hr 8 min later

    Its first report, Oct 21, 7:30 AM EDT

See the order the outlets reported inHide the order
  1. NBC NewsLeftOct 21, 4:23 AM EDT
  2. TownhallFar RightOct 21, 7:30 AM EDT
  3. CBS NewsLeftOct 21, 7:31 AM EDT
  4. The HillCenterOct 21, 7:49 AM EDT
  5. The Washington TimesRightOct 21, 8:44 AM EDT
  6. Washington ExaminerRightOct 21, 9:02 AM EDT
  7. The New York TimesLeftOct 21, 9:27 AM EDT
  8. ABC NewsLeftOct 21, 10:16 AM EDT
  9. The Epoch TimesFar RightOct 21, 10:49 AM EDT
  10. RedStateFar RightOct 21, 11:21 AM EDT
  11. PBS NewsHourCenterOct 21, 11:43 AM EDT
  12. The Daily BeastFar LeftOct 21, 11:53 AM EDT
  13. New York PostRightOct 21, 1:01 PM EDT
  14. The GuardianLeftOct 21, 1:52 PM EDT

Times are the ones the outlets published in their own feeds, in Eastern time. Opinion is left out. Just the News gave only a date, so it is not placed.

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