Four people were hospitalized Monday after they were exposed to an ammonia leak.

Those effected were among more than a dozen impacted by a valve leak inside the Koch Food Plant in Gainesville this morning. The plant was quickly evacuated upon discovery of the issue when ammonia started seeping into a work room at the plant.

“Because it is such an irritant, there were 14 people complaining of exposure to the ammonia,” said Gainesville Fire Chief Keith Smith. “[They had] symptoms of burning eyes, difficulty breathing and coughing.

Of those 14, only four were rushed to a nearby hospital, because their symptoms appeared to linger longer than the rest. Smith said, however, they appeared to have suffered only minor injuries.

“It can effect your breathing tremendously with the irritation of the airways,” Smith explained.

The plant was aired out within about an hour and operations were restored.

As for a cause, Smith said it appears to have been a faulty valve.