Deer Park (Houston) tells city to shelter in place as plant catches fire

[UpInArms]

Source: Houston Chronicle

Deer Park officials are warning residents to shelter in place as the city declares a fire at a petrochemicals terminal an emergency.

"City of Deer Park issuing SHELTER-IN-PLACE emergency in Deer Park," the city wrote in a tweet at 10:58 a.m. "Please take immediate action and seek shelter."

Over four hours later, the fire at Intercontinental Terminals Company Deer Park remained uncontrolled.

"As of 3:30 p.m., we are fighting the fire defensively in order to ensure it does not spread," said ITC in a press release. "The safety of our employees, our surrounding community and the environment is our first priority."

... snip ...

"If people were exposed to the chemical, it could irritate and burn their throat and eyes and cause headaches, dizziness, nausea and vomiting," said Luke Metger, executive director of the environmental advocacy group Environment Texas. "Longterm, it could cause cancer and risk to the kidneys and the nervous system. So it's nasty stuff."

Read more: https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/amp/Deer-Park-tells-city-to-shelter-in-place-as-plant-13695162.php

[Chin music]

1. It takes very little of those fumes and smoke to be carcinogenic.

A little more can easily be fatal. That area of the country is so deep in petro pollution it's hard to describe.

[TexasBushwhacker]

2. And that is why you couldn't pay me to live on that side of town n/t

[eppur_se_muova]

3. The 'chemical' is naphtha, a petroleum distillate, so actually a mixture of compounds with ...

similar boiling points. It may go through a couple of refining stages, and its composition is quite variable.

Safety

People can be exposed to petroleum naphtha in the workplace by breathing it, swallowing it, skin contact, and eye contact. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) set the legal limit (permissible exposure limit) for petroleum naphtha exposure in the workplace as 500 ppm (2000 mg/m3) over an 8-hour workday. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has set a recommended exposure limit (REL) of 350 mg/m3 over an 8-hour workday and 1800 mg/m3 over 15 minutes. At levels of 1100 ppm, 10% of the lower explosive limit, petroleum naphtha is immediately dangerous to life and health.[15]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petroleum_naphtha

The smoke contains a whole witch's brew of compounds from partial combustion.

[rownesheck]

4. Deer park

is a shit ton of refineries with a town built inside them. It's gross. Reminds me of Port Neches, TX, also a vomitous vat of vile filth.

[BumRushDaShow]

5. "a vomitous vat of vile filth"

[Nitram]

6. I hope "shelter in place" is the best policy for the release of a toxic plume into the air.

[OriginalGeek]

9. seriously - I would prefer to shelter

"anyfuckingwhere but here" if I lived near there.

[Nitram]

11. Exactly!

[getagrip_already]

7. let me guess....

It is largely a minority community.....

Cuz if it were a wealthy community, they'd be evac'd and fema would be waiist deep in paperwork sending them money.

[cannabis_flower]

10. Actually, you'd be wrong..

From Wikipedia (although this is from the 2000 census, I would say it's probably still a good representation, maybe somewhat more Hispanic now)

As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 28,520 people, 9,615 households, and 7,941 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,752.7 people per square mile (1,062.9/km²). There were 9,921 housing units at an average density of 957.6 per square mile (369.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 90.01% White, 1.31% African American, 0.41% Native American, 1.13% Asian, 0.13% Pacific Islander, 5.25% from other races, and 1.76% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 15.22% of the population

[Firestorm49]

8. Here we go again.

As many of you may recall, a few years ago, the state of Texas sharply scaled back regulations regarding chemical manufacturers reporting what types of chemicals they are storing/producing, as well as the quantity, making it difficult if not hazardous for firefighters to battle a condition.

This is the second chemical event in Texas, the first being after the last hurricane flooded a chemical plant that didn't have adequate back up generators, and the storage tanks exploded.

How many people will come down with cancer in the next few years from all of the toxic crap coming down from the sky? In how wide an area? These are issues that the local, state, and federal government should be informed of. What do they have? How much? Who will it affect? What if....?????? and on and on. But no. Its too much of a burden to provide regulatory agencies with the information. Sorry, but this is bull shit Republicanism.

Because corporations now own Republicans, once Republicans control the state, much needed regulations are cast aside - probably in exchange for a campaign contribution. The safety of fire fighters and the public is put at strong risk because it's too much trouble to provide safeguard information. Damn Republicans!!!!!