At 0837 hours an ammonia leak was reported to the National Response Center at the Freedman Food Service facility, located at 2901 Polk Street. Facility employees had detected an ammonia odor from an unknown source. As a precaution, approximately 23 facility personnel were evacuated from the facility. The responding Houston Fire Department issued an order that approximately six town homes located across from the facility also be evacauted. In addition, they ordered a shelter-in-place for the one block radius surrounding the facility.
At approximately 0837 hours facility personnel reported the release to the National Response Center.
START-3 was activated by EPA to conduct a Tier 1 response at the facility at approximately 0840 hours. Upon arrival to the site, START-3 met with Freedman enivronmental personnel and were escorted through the facility. START-3 personnel still could detect the faint ammonia odor in the front portion of the building. The Freedman representatives stated that the cause and amount of the ammonia released was still unknown; however, they suspect that it may have caused by work being done on the roof.
The mandatory evacuation of the town homes and the shelter-in-place were both lifted at approximately 1000 hours.
Due to the relatively low concentrations involved, the evacuation and shelter-in-place was lifted. However, the amount of ammonia released and the source of the release is still unknown.
Freedman personnel will continue to investigate the quantities of materials released and the source of the release.
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