At approximately 2030 hours on 26 May 2008, a fire started in a scrap metal pile at the Gerdau Ameristeel facility in Midlothian, Ellis County, Texas. The scrap pile consisted of miscellaneous bundles of scrap metal, automobiles and other large pieces of scrap metals. The facility and 5 local fire departments have responded to the fire. No evacuations are in place and no injuries have been reported.
The facility representatives notified the TCEQ at approximately 0530 hours on 27 May 2008 of the fire. The TCEQ notified US EPA Region 6 Prevention and Response Branch. US EPA On-Scene Coordinator Eric Delgado and EPA START-3 contractors were mobilized the scene at 0600 hours 27 May 2008.
Since approximately 1900 hours on 27 May 2008, the size and intensity of the fire has been substantially diminished. Facility personnel, along with members of eight local fire departments and contractors from Hulcher Services and Eagle Construction and Environmental are continuing to extinguish the fire and dismantle the scrap pile to ensure that the fire is completely extinguished and no flare ups occur.
The facility and their contractors have also continued efforts to collect firefighting runoff water for potential treatment and disposal off-site. Approximately 12 rolling frac tanks and 4 vacuum trucks are being utilized in this effort. Multiple earthern berms have been constructed in an attempt to keep the water from leaving the facility through Outfall 001. As of 1900 hours 27 May 2008, water was continuing to leave the facility through Outfall 001. The limited fish kill present earlier this morning was not noted this evening.
EPA START-3 contractors and facility contractors collected water samples at three locations on-site. Sample 01 was collected where the firefighting runoff water enters the underground drainage piping. Sample 02 was collected at an earthen berm south of US Highway 67 where outfall 001 leaves the site. Sample 03 was collected north of US Highway 67 where outfall 001 crosses underneath and leaves the site. Samples were collected for volatile organic compounds (VOCs), semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs), RCRA 8 Metals, total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH), and poly-chlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).
Facility contractors from the Center for Toxicology and Environmental Health (CTEH) have been on-site since approximately 1500 hours. They have set up four sampling and monitoring stations around the perimeter of the site between the hours of 1700 and 1830 ranging from 1/4 mile to 1/2 mile from the source of the fire. Sampling and monitoring at these 4 locations will continue until the fire is extinguished.
EPA and the facility are continuing operations through the night and morning of 28 May 2008.
Crews will continue to fight the fire and extinguish any flare ups throughout the evening and night of 27-28 May 2008.
Facility contractors will continue to collect firefighting water in rolling frac tanks for characterization and possible treatment and disposal.
EPA START-3 contractors and facility contractors will continue to perform air monitoring both on and off site throughout the operation.
Coordination between the facility, local, state and federal authorities in protecting human health and the environment.
Weather reports indicate a chance of rain and thunderstorms in the immediate forecast for the area, increasing the amount of run off from the site.
Containing all firefighting water runoff to mitigate off-site impacts.
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