Toxic blaze near Bryan spurs mass evacuation

[sonias]

AAS 7/31/09
Toxic blaze near Bryan spurs mass evacuation
Most allowed to return after blaze burns out; dozens treated at hospitals

Tens of thousands of residents in the Bryan-College Station area were ordered to evacuate and the Texas A&M University campus was closed Thursday by a fire at a chemical plant that processes the toxic chemical ammonium nitrate.

Officials ordered the evacuation of a 250- to 275-square-mile area — an area with a population of 70,000 to 80,000 people — as a precaution several hours after the blaze at El Dorado Chemical Plant broke out about noon and draped a black cloud of potentially toxic smoke over much of Bryan. The plant blends and packages fertilizer and other chemicals, including ammonium nitrate, which can be used to make explosives.

The evacuation order was lifted for most Bryan residents Thursday night after the fire was brought under control, with residents of about 1,000 homes still ordered to remain out of the area, Bryan Fire Chief Mike Donoho said.

AAS 7/31/09
Bryan chem plant fire smolders, flyover planned

BRYAN, Texas — About 1,000 people remained out of their Central Texas homes as emergency personnel monitored a smoldering chemical plant fire.

John Salsman with Brazos County emergency management told The Associated Press early Friday that a flyover was planned to "see how things are going."

(snip)

Salsman says a majority of evacuees were home by daybreak Friday, but he estimated about 1,000 still displaced, noting that area is not heavily populated.

Salsman says at least 34 people required medical treatment.

I didn't even hear about this til this morning. Luckily no one was seriously hurt.

Sonia

[sonias]

1. The Eagle newspaper link

This paper has lots of good local coverage.

http://www.theeagle.com/">The Eagle - Bryan/College Station

:kick:

Sonia

[Aragorn]

2. Aggies?

Not to joke about a potentially serious thing - too much - but could this be an Aggie bonfire thingie?

[sonias]

3. Oh Aragorn you are stirring the hornet's nest

Actually I think the Aggies are victims here of a safety slacking chemical company. The kind that always says "there is no need to worry". Everything is going to be just fine. Trust us. :eyes:

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) is testing the air quality. Don't you think that just makes everybody in Bryan and College Station just feel so much better? :sarcasm:


Sonia

[Why Syzygy]

4. Yeah, didn't they have a chemical spill

about 5-6 years ago?

[Lisa0825]

5. It was all over the news in Houston the day it happened. nt