Late on May 16, 2007, the National Response Center notified EPA Region 6 of an incident at the Schirm USA facility on the south side of Ennis, Ellis County, Texas. Two drums of Methyl Parathion apparently overheated and exploded at the plant, causing the plant to evacuate 70 employees from the facility. The Ennis Fire Department also reports that an unknown number of nearby residents have been evacuated from the adjacent area. Plant officials notified other nearby residents, industrial facilities, and a nursing home of the incident. Fire and Police are on scene, and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) has been notified. OSC Fisher and EPA's START contractor have been mobilized to the site to conduct on-scene monitoring and air monitoring activities.
EPA performed both on-site and off-site air monitoring and detected no reading above background at the perimeter/fence line. EPA briefed the facility President/CEO and then jointly called the local fire department. Based on EPA air monitoring results the facility recommended to the local fire department that the roads be opened and the evacuation be lifted. As of 0700 hrs on May 16, 2007, the local authorities have opened the roads and lifted the evacuation.
