4 children die when pesticide, water mix creates toxic gas

[Sunlei]

Source: CNN

By John Newsome and Shawn Nottingham, CNN
Updated 10:23 PM ET, Mon January 2, 2017


(CNN) — Four children died after someone at their home sprayed water on an applied pesticide, causing a reaction that resulted in toxic gas, officials in Amarillo, Texas, said. At least five other people were hospitalized in Monday's incident.

Fire Capt. Larry Davis said a family member used water to try to wash off the aluminum phosphide, which had been administered before by someone beneath the residence. The incident preliminarily has been ruled an accidental poisoning.

There were 10 people inside the mobile home at the time of the incident, according to Davis. The children ranged in age from 7 to 17, CNN affiliate KVII reported.

First responders went to the hospital for treatment of possible exposure. Several firefighters are being held for observation, according to KVII. Aluminum phosphide is listed in the Toxicity Category I by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency -- the highest and most toxic category. Specifically, the EPA points to the "acute effects via the inhalation route."


Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2017/01/02/us/amarillo-texas-pesticide-deaths/

[Stonepounder]

1. And people can buy this pesticide and spray it around and under housing units?

Its a good thing that Trump is going to save us by relaxing safety rules even more!

[Major Nikon]

3. Not everyone can buy it

At least in the form that was almost certainly used in this instance. It's an industrial chemical highly regulated by the EPA and state agencies intended for professional use only. You can buy other phosphides that are less reactive intended for consumer use. It's commonly found in rat poison and various rodent repellents.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

7. And here I am pissed off that I can't get decon rat poison.

Or at least as easy as I used to.

My neighbor in the downstairs/basement duplex says they hear scurrying in their ceiling. The neighborhood has a bit of a rat problem with all the Wrigley field hotel construction.

We had a problem 5 or 6 years ago and called Orkin. They were nice enough to put us on a twelve month contract for a couple hundred bucks a month and install some bait boxes with blocks of poison the rats didn't have an appetite for. One, two, three weeks went by and still scurrying in the ceiling. The woman that lived there at the time was ready to move in to a hotel. I called Orkin and they sent a manager out. We pulled the bait boxes and all the blocks were pristine - no chew marks. Why don't you use pellets, I asked. "Oh we don't like those, why don't we give it a couple more weeks and see what happens"

Uh, no. I picked up some poison boxes and placed them in spots where pets can't get at them (under hot tubs etc.). Problem solved in a week. Fired Orkin and told them to sue us.

Now what to do. My neighbor says Ace Hardware doesn't stock the pellets. Come to find out just today the EPA has restricted pellets. I may still be able to get some but I need to look.

Really not thrilled with the idea of putting poison out. And dead rats in walls is not something that appeals to me. But neither does the idea of rats crawling across my neighbor's head. Or mine.

[mackdaddy]

22. You might look for Feed & Grain places for farmers or ranchers.

These type of places usually stock rodent control products.

I am out in the country, and get field mice trying to move in when it gets cold. The only problem wit the pellets is that the mice will carry them inside to store them where my dogs could get at them.

I purchased some black boxes about 6x6x2in that hold a square bar of bait that the mice will eat, and other animals cannot get to.

[jmowreader]

4. I assume you need a pesticide applicator's license to buy this chemical

Interestingly enough, this one isn't on the family that got killed. According to the article, someone else - whether the landlord or a previous tenant wasn't stated - put this chemical under the trailer. The family in this story saw the stuff, didn't know what it was, and tried washing it out from under the trailer with a garden hose.

According to its MSDS, phosphine (the gas this liberates when you get it wet) is Immediately Hazardous to Life or Health at 50 ppm. No thank you!

[TheBlackAdder]

5. So what happens if it rains or if there is high humidity?

[jmowreader]

6. You're fucked. That's what happens.

Assuming the State of Texas gives a fuck - a very, very large assumption - the Texas Rangers should be able to track down the previous occupants and find out who provided it to them.

[Sunlei]

24. like that warehouse full of fertilizer(arson?)blew-up entire town, recently.

While firefighters & first responders were there and realized what was in the unguarded warehouse, tried to run before it exploded.

[blogslut]

17. The family own the home.

They have owned the home for several years.

[chwaliszewski]

10. I honestly don't see...

how Trump has anything to do with this tragic article. I dislike the Orange Moron too but he has nothing to do with this. Please, don't be a hater like the Republicans.

[RandiFan1290]

11. aww

Did someone pick on poor twumpy?

I'm sure once they get rid of the EPA and further weaken regulations these things will never happen.

[chwaliszewski]

12. This is a prime example of why some people have left this site...

Your behavior is no different than someone on the right making a similar comment about Hillary. It's straight up petulant. Some people have died tragically and yet it turns into something political. Once again, I don't like Trump. I wouldn't urinate on him if he was ablaze. But he has nothing to do with this tragedy. Don't roll around in the mud like the Republicans. Be the better person. Seriously.

[RandiFan1290]

15. Cool story, bro

[chwaliszewski]

26. Wow. That's all you've got?

Welcome to ignore.

[paleotn]

13. You're kidding, right?

Trump.." We don't need no stinking regulation! " The story above is the result of such idiotic thinking. That's the Ops point.

[bucolic_frolic]

14. There seems

to me to be more than a few newbies with few posts
trying to soften opposition to trump

nice try if that's what you're saying

[chwaliszewski]

19. Newbie?

I've been on this site for 11 years now. I served in the US Navy when Reagan was president. I have a degree in Laser Electro-Optics with a minor in Mathematics (well, almost completed). I think I can determine when something is idiotic or irrelevant. I also don't like it when a tragedy is turned into a political dig, no matter which side does it. And if I'm not mistaken, regulations were already in place and yet this tragedy still occurred. If you want to bash Trump for something, do it for something he has actually done like not releasing his taxes or appointing Goldman Sachs cronies.
"I'm not always a smiley kind of guy."

[LanternWaste]

25. Allegory can be difficult.

" If you want to bash Trump for something, do it for something he has actually done..."

Allegory can be difficult. Simply look at this particular as an example of what will become more and more routine over the next four years is what the prevailing sentiment is, rather than a direct causation to Drump himself.

No doubt, without lines drawn obviously and in often in red crayon, seeing it as such could be difficult if one's bias prevents allegory, satire, metaphor from existing, and rather calls them simply "idiotic or irrelevant."

[Girard442]

2. "It was a tragic accident, sir."

"Who could possibly have known that spreading a deadly poison around a bunch of kids could have bad effects?"

We are well on the way to being a Third World country.

[eppur_se_muova]

8. No one could have predicted that ...

?fb

AlP is also flammable as all fuck -- oh, and don't try to put it out with water: http://nj.gov/health/eoh/rtkweb/documents/fs/0063.pdf (CO2 may not work either, it's not clear)

But, hey, it's OK if *industry* uses it !

[truthisfreedom]

9. How unbelievably tragic.

It'll be interesting to see the legal upshot of this apparent debacle. Maybe there's more to this story.

[Vinca]

16. And to think this happened BEFORE regulations were gutted.

[Sunlei]

20. aluminum phosphide should not be 'over the counter', even first responders were sickened quickly.

[LeftInTX]

21. The product was obtained "black market".

Read it in a local paper.

It's probably only used in far, out of the way, settings.

[Sunlei]

23. Thanks. This stuff is probably piled up in some unguarded warehouse. Easy to steal & worse, a

disaster if the warehouse leaks or there's a flood. Some local bad guy or terrorist group could also create a terrible tragedy with that stuff and a bit of water.

The Corporation needs to be contacted immediately by authorities.