The site is SW of San Antonio near Macdona, Bexar County, Texas. Weather remains sunny and hot.
At approximately 0500 hrs, Union Pacfic (UP) has successfully removed the temporary wooden plugs and installed a custom-fitted steel and neoprene patch to cover the damaged portion of the chlorine railcar.
At approximately 0530 UP began transfering chlorine from the railcar through the scrubber system for containment and disposal.
The Center for Toxicology and Environmental Health (CTEH) is providing occupational air monitoring near the railcar. EPA along with TCEQ is providing 24-hr air monitoring and sampling at various locations around the site.
At approximately 0915 and 1000 hrs. while the operation of scrubber system was ongoing small amounts of chlorine gas were released into the immediate working area, causing delays in the removal process. No reported injuries occured during the releases. UP reports that the metal patch is holding firmly, and that the releases occured when scrubber hoses were taken offline.
Due to operational problems with the scrubber system, UP along with the Unified Command (UC) is currently reevaluating the chlorine railcar removal process to determine how to optimize the system.
Due to potential system instability, residents in five homes in the immediate area will remain evacuated until the transfer is complete and the area can be declared safe.
Updated the Incident Command Structure (ICS) to reflect personnel changes.
A joint CTEH & START Team will continue to conduct clearance inspections of emaining evacuated residences.
UC reviewed UP Health & Safety Plan (HASP) for chlorine car patching operation.
Requested dispersion modeling from CTEH for patching operational period. Per CTEH, preliminary models indicate no detectable emissions.
Awaiting updates from UP on optimizing the scrubber system. Plan to convene UC a.m. tommorow for scrubber discussions and review of any plan revisions.
Continue 24-hr. air monitoring.
UC requested that UP provide additional air monitoring at the site perimeter. This would provide early warning of any release beyond the work area. UP and the current contract monitoring firm (CTEH) responded that they were not able to provide that service and requested that EPA fill this role. Additional AreaRAES and support personnel will be onsite and on-line tommorow.
Small amounts of chlorine gas were released in the immediate working area causing delays in the removal process. No injuries were reported from the releases.
UP reports that the steel patch is holding.
Enhanced perimeter monitoring will begin tomorrow.
|
