Pollution/Situation Report Profile

Air Liquide America Specialty Gasses
West Baton Rouge, LA - EPA Region VI
POLREP #2

Printer Friendly | PDF

U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
POLLUTION/SITUATION REPORT
Air Liquide America Specialty Gasses - Removal Polrep

EPA Emergency Response

UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Region VI

Subject:

POLREP #2
Air Liquide America Specialty Gasses

West Baton Rouge, LA
Latitude: 30.5030250 Longitude: -91.3206017

To:

From:

Roberto Bernier, FOSC

Date:

5/22/2012

Reporting Period:

1. Introduction

1.1 Background

Site Number:		Contract Number:
D.O. Number:		Action Memo Date:
Response Authority:	CERCLA	Response Type:	Emergency
Response Lead:	EPA	Incident Category:	Removal Assessment
NPL Status:	Non NPL	Operable Unit:
Mobilization Date:	5/21/2012	Start Date:	5/21/2012
Demob Date:		Completion Date:
CERCLIS ID:		RCRIS ID:
ERNS No.:		State Notification:
FPN#:		Reimbursable Account #:

1.1.1 Incident Category
At 1025 hours on 21 May 2012, the LDEQ reported that the Air Liquide facility near Port Allen, La. had experienced a fire at the acetylene cylinder storage pad. The National Response Center (NRC) had not yet been notified of the incident and the release or potential release of acetylene and other combustible hazardous material. Due to the flammability and potential for explosion or violent reaction, a one mile evacuation was set in place by the LSP. In addition, Hwy 190 and the Union Pacific railroad, both next to the facility, were shut down as a precaution. The cause of the fire was believed to be a faulty valve on one of the cylinders.

Approximately 40 residences and 80-90 persons were evacuated to the Port Allen and Erwinville Community Centers. All four lanes of HWY 190 have been closed for a 3 mile stretch. 1.5 miles in either direction of the incident area.

1.1.2 Site Description
The site consists of a facility building/warehouse, tanker trucks with a transfer area, and approximately 500 acetylene cylinders. The facility is located in a sparsely populated area surrounded by farmland and other industries. There are several residences nearby to the north of the site

1.1.2.1 Location
The incident occurred at the Air Liquide facility located at 7425 Highway 190 West, West Baton Rouge Parish, Port Allen, LA. The facility is bordered by Hwy 190 and Union Pacific Railroad to the north, a lumberyard to south and east, and rural farmland to the west. The nearest residence is approximately 500 feet to the north of the facility.

1.1.2.2 Description of Threat
A fire initiated in an acetylene holding area on the property during a routine servicing of a residue cylinder. The belief was that the cylinder had a faulty valve leading to the ignition of the fire. The initial fire was allowed to burn out. The facility building and three tanker trucks in the proximity of the fire were not impacted. The primary threat at that time was considered to be the close proximity of those tankers to the burning acetylene cylinders. LDEQ has conducted perimeter air monitoring (1 mile radius) near the incident location. All air monitoring results have been reported as non-detect except one 6.0 ppb acetone reading during the initial round earlier today. Smoke initially inhibited visibility along Highway 190 but has since subsided. Fire from the cylinders did escape and started a grass fire along US Hwy 190 but has since been extinguished. Acetylene is highly flammable and can react violently under certain conditions. When pressurize, acetylene is commonly mixed with other hazardous substances such acetone or dimethylformamide to stabilize the pressure and make it safer for transport.

1.1.3 Preliminary Removal Assessment/Removal Site Inspection Results
FOSC Bernier and START-3 contractors responded to the incident and met with LDEQ, Louisiana State Police (LSP), Erwinville and Port Allen Fire Departments, West Baton Rouge Parish Sheriffs and Air Liquide representatives. The initial fire was allowed to burn out. Once extinguished, Air Liquide disallowed access to the hot zone area for approximately 8-12 hours to allow adequate cooling before handling the cylinders. Three tanker trucks located closer to the facility did not ignite. The primary threat at that time was considered to be the close proximity of these tanks to the burning acetylene cylinders. LDEQ conducted VOC, LEL, and CO2 air monitoring utilizing Porta Sens monitors at the 1 mile perimeter near the incident location. LDEQ also mobilized the mobile air monitoring lab (MAML) to the scene and monitored air quality as well as performed suma canister sampling. All air monitoring results have been reported as non-detect. Initially no one was allowed to access grounds of the facility. LSP, local fire departments, and HAZMAT did enter the site to do a preliminary assessment at 1800 hours. It was decided then to let the remaining smoldering to burn out itself. At around 1830 hrs, no substantial visible plume or smoke was noted. Air monitoring will continue overnight.

2. Current Activities

2.1 Operations Section

2.1.1 Narrative
On 22 May 2012 about 90-95% of the cylinders that were originally on fire had burn out. The main objective of the period was to removed the undamaged cylinders and trailer trucks from the pad to allow accesibility to the fire zone. Then, initiate spraying the hot cylinders with water (fogging) to stabilize the area for better assessment.

2.1.2 Response Actions to Date
Air Liquide, local fire departments and Louisiana State Police HAZMAT representatives have made one entry to inspect the incident area. There are approximately 500 acetylene cylinders located along the western boundary of the property. The cylinders contain various volumes of acetylene. There are also three tanker trucks capable of holding 7,200 pounds of material located closer to the facility that thus far have not been impacted by the burning cylinders. The current action plan is to allow the cylinders to burn out and reassess after that time. At around 1930 hrs, the responders decided to shut down activities to resume and reassess in the morning. LDEQ will remain on site overnight (outside the 1 mile radius) to continue air monitoring in case the conditions change and will notify OSC Bernier of any changes to reassess the monitoring plan. LSP will also continue their presence overnight to control access to the area.

At 0630 hours on 22 May 2012, the Louisiana State Police (LSP) Hazmat, Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ), and EPA OSC Bernier entered the hot zone to assess the status of the acetylene cylinders that were being allowed to burn out and 90-95% of the cylinders were extinguished. LDEQ and EPA will continue to monitor air quality using the MSAs. There was a concern about the water quality (pH and acetone) of runoff from fire water used to cool the cylinders. At 0800 hours LDEQ and START-3 contractors resumed air monitoring with the MSA tools at two locations along the perimeter of the incident at ten minute intervals. At 0940 Air Liquide began removing empty trailers that were parked near the fire zone and at 1010 hours Clean Harbors (Air Liquide response contractor) began using fork lifts to load non-impacted cylinders onto tractor trailers. At the end of the reporting period a total of 5 trailers were loaded for off-site transport. Air monitoring continued throughout the period with non-detect readings. At 1600 hours LDEQ and EPA agreed to reduced perimeter monitoring down to one team, focusing in the water spray cooling operations. At 1605 hours the Rose Hill Fire Department began saturating the burned acetylene cylinders with water in an attempt to cool them down to ambient temperatures from temperatures exceeding 200 degees Fahrenheit. Non detect continued to be result of the air monitoring activities. At 1830 hours EPA and LDEQ returned to the hot zone to assess the ponding/pooling of the spray water to make sure no negative impacts were occurring as a result of the spraying. At the end of the cooling operations, some water pooled for about 50 yards along the railroad ballast and into a natural depression next to the fire area. The closest canal is over 1/2 mile to the west and was not threatened.

At 1904 hours one SUMA canister was collected and brought to the MAML unit for analysis at the lumberyard bordering the east and southeast incident area. At 1948 hours the fire department ceased spraying water on the cylinders. At this time the largest potential threats are individual acetylene canisters that may not have cooled to ambient temperatues despite spraying. Removal operations will continue overnight to began removing the affected or damaged cylinders. The ER phase of the response could be complete as soon as tomorrow morning.

2.1.3 Enforcement Activities, Identity of Potentially Responsible Parties (PRPs)
Air Liquide located at 7425 Hwy 190 West, Port Allen, LA is listed as the responsible party.

2.2 Planning Section

2.2.1 Anticipated Activities
The action plan was to allow the ignited acetylene cylinders to burn off the remaining gas until the morning of May 22, 2012, and reassess at that time. Now that those fires have extinguished and spray cooling has been applied the LDEQ will continue to monitor air quality throughout the night. Air Liquide, LSP Hazmat, and fire department personnel will attempt to assess the cylinders on a per cylinder basis to determine the status. The highway will remained closed and all persons evacuated will remain in place until an all clear can be issued by the Louisiana State Police (LSP) Hazmat.

2.2.1.1 Planned Response Activities
All response activities resumed at 0630 hours Tuesday, May 22, 2012. Additional response efforts will continue throughout the night and into Wednesday, May 23, 2012 morning if necessary. LDEQ will continue to perform air monitoring throughout the night and into Wednesday morning unless an all clear is issued by the LSP Hazmat.

2.2.1.2 Next Steps
Now that the acetylene cylinders have burned off the remnant gases, the fire has been extinguished, and the crews have allowed a 6-12 hour cooling period (additional cooling via spraying) prior to reassessing the situation they have determined that the next steps will be to continue to monitor air quality, allow additional cooling, and assess the cylinders on a per cylinder basis to determine which are safe to be removed and which may need to be wet tarped for further handling.

2.2.2 Issues
A 1 mile radius evacuation will continue as a precaution, including the shut down of Hwy 190 and the railroad.

2.3 Logistics Section