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Evacuated Freeport residents still in hotels
Published October 30, 2009
FREEPORT — Residents evacuated because of a Dow Chemical Co. leak likely will remain out of their homes at least through Sunday, officials said, though monitors tracking the leak say they have found no emissions.
All those in the 65-home area who Dow recommended evacuate had done so by Wednesday morning, company spokeswoman Tracie Copeland said. The residents are spread among area hotels and Dow is footing the bill for expenses, including the hotel rooms, shelter for animals and vouchers for meals, she said.
“Safety of our employees, contractors and community are our top priority, and I hope the community realizes that after our actions the last few days,” Copeland said.
Attempts to contact some of the evacuated residents were unsuccessful Thursday afternoon.
The leaked chemical is toluene diisocyanate, a urethane intermediate used in the production of cushions like mattresses and pillows. Exposure to the chemical can cause respiratory problems, nausea and vomiting, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Monitors have shown no emissions have resulted from the leak, said Terry Clawson, a spokesman for the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.
“The monitoring has never shown anything, but of course there’s continuous monitoring now that they’re working on the pipeline,” Clawson said. “We were out there Tuesday and we’ll go out there if we need to go out again. We’re working very closely with Dow and the company that’s doing the monitoring out there and the emergency personnel that are still tracking it. We’re keeping a close eye on it.”
As soon as the leak was discovered, the pipeline was depressurized and flushed out, Copeland said.
“Repairs are progressing around the clock. The crews have lighting and equipment in place to work safely through the night,” Copeland said.
Two workers who spotted the leak in the urethane pipe Sunday were taken to a local hospital. Neither were injured but they were checked out as a precaution, Copeland said.
The affected area is bordered by Avenue U to the north, Zapata to the west, Avenue R to the south and Terry to the east, Dow officials said.
Residents who live near the evacuated area have received visits from the Dow Neighbor-to-Neighbor Team and questions are being answered as the company receives them, Copeland said.
For information, residents can call Freeport’s public information line at 979-233-KNOW (5669) or Brazosport Industrial Community Awareness and Emergency Response’s public information line at 979-238-CAER (2237).
Erin McKeon is a reporter for The Facts. Contact her at 979-237-0152.
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IN THE KNOW
For information, residents can call Freeport’s public information line at 979-233-KNOW (5669) or Brazosport Industrial Community Awareness and Emergency Response’s public information line at 979-238-CAER (2237).
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