At approximately 2130 hours on 7 May, the insecticide Propargite was released to the land and air from a 7,000 gallon capacity intermodal container as steam was injected into it. The intermodal was on land at the Quality Carriers facility in North Charleston, South Carolina. The area is industrial.
A cloud formed and impacted the Quality Site, Virginia Avenue and a nearby tanker unloading at the Shell facility in Charleston Harbor. Workers there complained of nausea and fainting. Transfer operations aboard were ceased, and the Shell facility evacuated all personnel. The U.S. Coast Guard temporarily closed maritime transport on that section of the Cooper River.
USCG and North Charleston Fire Department were the initial responders. The fire department evacuated nearby businesses as a pre-cautionary measure. SCDHEC is also on scene. OSC Kevin Misenheimer and START were dispatched to provide assistance to the local responders.
