On April 19, 2007, the K-SOLV, L.P. Channelview Terminal was contacted by the NRC concerning a explosion which released xylene of an unknown quantity to the air at 1230 hours CST. The Terminal removes residue from barges and consolidates and purifies the residue for resale in Channelview, Harris County, Texas. An explosion and fire occurred in the truck loading/unloading dock. The facility reported to the NRC (Report 832790) that there had been an explosion with 1 injury at 1425 local time. Local fire departments responded and a fire boat from the Marine Fire Department, part of the Houston Port Authority (HPA). Local fire departments ordered a quarter mile evacuation of the residents.
On April 19, 2007, after viewing the emergency on local new stations the EPA tasked the EPA Superfund Technical Assessment and Response Team (START) to the terminal. While local news stations indicated that injuries occurred, no shelter in place was issued or evacuations had occurred. START mobilized to the site to assess the situation and arrived at the terminal at 1551 hours. The START met K-SOLV, L.P. Representatives, TCEQ, and the Harris County Pollution Control. Other agencies responding were OSHA , Harris County HAZMAT, United States Coast Guard (USCG), Channelview Fire Department, and the Sheldon Community Fire and Rescue. The TCEQ reported that the fire was extinguished around 1300 hours by the HPA fire boat. Fire water filled up the secondary containment around the loading docks and tanks resulting in a release to the tertiary containment which surrounds the entire facility. K-SOLV, L.P. representatives with USCG supervision released water from the facilities tertiary containment into the Houston Ship Channel (HSC). Wind bourn fire suppression foam was blown from the facility into the HSC. K-SOLV, L.P. contractor, Garner, drained secondary containment into frac tanks for temporary storage while trying not to disturb the area around where the fire occurred pending a investigation. Garner was air monitoring around the tank’s secondary containment. OSC Eric Delgado was dispatched from Dallas and arrived at the site at approximately 1900.
None
START will obtain the estimate of the release amount.
The key issue was the lateness of the report to the NRC and the lateness of air monitoring in the surrounding residential area.
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