More than a dozen workers at a cheese plant in New Mexico were hospitalized this week after a chemical spill at a cleaning station produced toxic chlorine gas, authorities said.

Twenty workers were injured, with 14 of them requiring hospitalization, at the Southwest Cheese plant in Clovis on Monday, the Curry County Sheriff’s Office said in a release.

Two hospitalized workers were in critical condition, The Eastern New Mexico News reported. The affected workers suffered respiratory injuries after inhaling the fumes.

Several gallons of an acid and a smaller quantity of chlorine were spilled at about 9:15 a.m., creating toxic chlorine gas.

Martha Kavanagh, head of corporate communications for Southwest Cheese’s parent company Glanbia, told The Eastern New Mexico News that a mechanical failure caused chemical tanks at the plant to overflow.

The spill occurred in a clean-in-place room at the plant dedicated to storing the tanks. The chemicals are pumped out into production areas to clean equipment without requiring disassembly.

The Clovis Fire Department hazmat team helped clear the scene and the plant was able to reopen for cheese production later on Monday.

• Brad Matthews can be reached at bmatthews@washingtontimes.com.