ASSOCIATED PRESS – The U S Coast Guard Saturday closed part of the Houston Ship Channel in response to chemical leaks from the beleaguered chemical tank farm that has suffered three fires this week, and Saturday, a containment wall collapse, sending chemicals into the Houston Ship Channel.
The fire caused benzene and perhaps other chemicals to burn and re-ignite twice after firefighters managed to tap the fire. Area residents began to complain of symptoms including headaches and nausea; symptoms that are aligned with exposure to the highly flammable benzene. The state’s air quality office issued a shelter in place order for area residents later in the week saying unsafe levels of benzene had been detected after the fire had been going for a couple of days.
Texas air quality office officials indicate they intend to fine the company as much as $25,000 a day for pollution and disaster fighting efforts.
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