A chemical tank explodes in Ohio, forcing evacuations and prompting fears of another blast
Authorities are investigating Toledo chemical leak that began Tuesday evening at MC Tank’s Progress Avenue terminal.
By: JOHN SEEWER and KATHY McCORMACK
TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) — A chemical tank exploded in Toledo, Ohio, forcing hundreds of residents to evacuate their homes or shelter in place due to fears of a toxic release, and the mayor warned Wednesday that it may still be explosive.
A sheriff’s deputy was injured when he responded to the explosion around 9:30 p.m. Tuesday and was able to drive himself to the hospital, Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz said at a news conference Wednesday morning.
MC Tank Transport said the tank contained glycidyl methacrylate, which it described as “an industrial chemical used to make certain plastics, paints and coatings perform better.”
Kapszukiewicz said the chemical is liquid inside the tank but becomes a gas when released. Video from the area showed a large plume in the sky.
“There is still concern that the tank is emitting this chemical and it has the potential within 12 hours of the incident to be explosive,” the mayor said, adding that it can hold 5,500 gallons of the chemical in liquid form. He said officials don’t know what caused the explosion.
Russia frees American Stephen Hubbard after over 4 years in prison, during a visit by US envoy
Russian presidential envoy Kirill Dmitriev, right, greets U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff at the international airport outside St. Petersburg, Russia, Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026. (TASS Photo via AP)
By: DASHA LITVINOVA and ERIC TUCKER
Russia on Wednesday freed an American who had been jailed for more than four years on charges of fighting as a mercenary in Ukraine, in a deal completed during a visit by a top U.S. envoy and at a time when President Donald Trump has taken a series of actions meant to benefit Moscow.
Trump said in a Truth Social post that he had asked Russian President Vladimir Putin during a phone call last week to free Stephen Hubbard, and that, unlike previous releases, his had not required the U.S. to give up anyone in return.
“Welcome home, Stephen, it’s great to have you back,” Trump said.
Hubbard, a 74-year-old former teacher from Michigan, was on his way home following a visit to St. Petersburg by U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff, who also held talks with Putin about Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, as Trump pushes Kyiv to make a deal that stops the fighting.
Hubbard was sentenced in 2024 to nearly seven years in prison following a closed trial. Prosecutors said he had signed a contract with the Ukrainian military after Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, and that he fought alongside Kyiv’s forces until being captured two months later. The U.S. government under the Biden administration designated Hubbard as wrongfully detained.
Elon Musk’s SpaceX reports a profit and he hints at a possible merger with Tesla
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with a crew of four launches from pad 40 at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Cape Canaveral, Fla., Thursday, Oct. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
By: BERNARD CONDON
NEW YORK (AP) — SpaceX reported a bigger quarterly profit than expected Tuesday as its satellite communications and artificial intelligence businesses boomed.
The company, run by Elon Musk, posted a profit for the three months through September of $4.4 billion, or 35 cents per share, reversing a year-ago loss and easily topping Wall Street’s expectations. Revenue soared to $14.6 billion, up 161%.
On a conference call with analysts, Musk suggested a merger with his electric car company Tesla might be in the works, something that has been rumored for months. He said both companies formed “special committees” of independent directors to discuss the issue, though he played down the chances of an imminent deal.
“Some people out there assume that a SpaceX and Tesla merger is a certainty,” he said. “I think that would be overstating it.”
The AI business became SpaceX’s largest by revenue in the third quarter, although the Starlink satellite service remains the biggest profit generator.
