On the morning of 17 November 2004, an individual, hence known as suspect, residing at 59326 Harrison Road in Slidell, St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana (LA) sprayed a neighbor with an acid-like substance causing a burning sensation on his arm. The victim notified the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office (STPSO) who dispatched four officers to the house. While the officers were arresting the suspect, they were overcome with vapors inside the house. Therefore, the STPSO notified the St. Tammany Parish Government Code Enforcement (STPGCE)and the St. Tammany Parish Fire Department (STPFD) about the potential of dangerous vapors as well as the numerous containers of suspected hazardous substances and explosive materials observed in the suspect’s home. Subsequently, the STPFD contacted the Louisiana State Police (LSP) and Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ) for assistance.
The LDEQ, LSP Hazardous Materials (HazMat) and Bomb Squad Units mobilized to the house later on 17 November 2004. The LSP Bomb Squad Unit enter the premises and searched for explosive devices and booby traps; however, none were found. Therefore, the LSP HazMat Unit entered the house and conducted an investigation about the suspected hazardous substances. The LSP HazMat Unit documented numerous containers labeled as hydrochloric acid, muriatic acid, sulfuric acid, and pesticides. Also, approximately 215 one-gallon un-marked plastic jugs containing unknown liquids were discovered in and outside the house. After the LSP and LDEQ completed the initial assessment, the LDEQ decided to contact and request assistance from EPA.
At 1158 hours on 18 November 2004, the National Response Center (NRC), Incident Report No. 741779, was notified by the LDEQ about the suspect who was storing numerous containers of potentially hazardous substances at his home. The NRC contacted EPA Region 6 Response and Prevention Branch who subsequently mobilized an EPA On-scene Coordinator (OSC) and the Superfund Technical Assessment and Response Team (START-2) to the house to investigate and conduct all relevant emergency response activities.
On 11 May 2005, OSC Fisher contacted LDEQ and was provided with the following site update. According to LDEQ, the daughter has gone to court and obtained power of attorney for her mother. The daughter has performed transportation and disposal (T&D) on the containers found outside the house, performed general cleanup of the yard and also secured the house. The daughter is now in the process of obtaining additional funds to cleanup the inside of the house and bring the property up to code, so it can be sold. The daughter is coordinating with the St. Tammany Parish and LDEQ officials.
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No waste has been disposed of by the EPA. The daughter of the property owner has disposed of some of the non regulated waste and will continue to dispose of the balance of the waste, with local and LDEQ oversight.
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