U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
POLLUTION/SITUATION REPORT
Langer Trucking Spill - Removal Polrep
Initial and Final Removal Polrep
UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Region VII
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Subject:
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POLREP #1
Initial and Final
Langer Trucking Spill
B768
Kansas City, MO
Latitude: 39.0617830 Longitude: -94.4958610
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To:
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From:
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Katy Miley, Federal On-Scene Coordinator
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Date:
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6/12/2013
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Reporting Period:
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6/7/13-6/10/13
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1. Introduction
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1.1 Background
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Site Number: |
B768 |
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Contract Number: |
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D.O. Number: |
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Action Memo Date: |
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Response Authority: |
CERCLA |
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Response Type: |
Emergency |
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Response Lead: |
PRP |
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Incident Category: |
Removal Action |
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NPL Status: |
Non NPL |
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Operable Unit: |
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Mobilization Date: |
6/7/2013 |
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Start Date: |
6/7/2013 |
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Demob Date: |
6/7/2013 |
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Completion Date: |
6/7/2013 |
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CERCLIS ID: |
MON000706548 |
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RCRIS ID: |
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ERNS No.: |
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State Notification: |
MDNR, MoDOT |
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FPN#: |
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Reimbursable Account #: |
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1.1.1 Incident Category
Emergency Response
1.1.2 Site Description
This was an emergency response activity that involved the wreck of a tractor-trailer tanker, operated by Langer Transport, carrying two flammable liquids with a total tank capacity of 7,500 gallons. The driver lost control of the vehicle, which rolled and lost connection between the tractor and the trailer, impacted several highway barriers between the two sides of I-70, and caught fire. Two EPA On-Scene Coordinators (OSCs) and two START contractors responded to conduct air monitoring, collect data, and provide coordination during the response.
1.1.2.1 Location
The driver of the transport lost control while exiting Interstate-435 South (I-435S) and entering Interstate-70 West (I-70W) in Kansas City Missouri. This location is on the east side of the Kansas City metro area. I-70 is a major east-west highway in the United States; during the course of the response, I-70 eastbound and westbound lanes were closed for approximately 20 hours.
1.1.2.2 Description of Threat
The tank on the tractor-trailer was partitioned into three sections. It had two 3,000-gallon capacity tanks at the nose and the tail, respectively, containing the chemical glycol ether acetate. The tank also had one 1,500-gallon tank located in the middle section, containing the chemical n-propyl acetate. When the vehicle impacted, the nose tank of glycol ether acetate ruptured and the contents caught fire. The Kansas City, Missouri Fire Department (KCMO FD) responded initially and extinguished the fire in approximately one hour. Firefighting activities were difficult due to the flammability of the product and the presence of "pockets" of product in the tank walls. The KCMO FD dispatch contacted the EPA Region 7 spill line with a request for on-site assistance and technical support.
1.1.3 Preliminary Removal Assessment/Removal Site Inspection Results
Upon arrival at the scene EPA OSCs met with on-site responders, assessed possible impacts to surface water, and conducted air monitoring for volatile compounds using hand held photo-ionization detectors (PIDs). A large quantity of the glycol ether acetate in the nose tank had combusted during the fire. However, some product as well as firefighting water and foam ran off-site and entered highway stormwater collection areas, most notably a ditch adjacent to I-70W and an associated culvert under the span of I-70. The Little Blue River, southwest of the site, was not impacted by firefighting or pollution control activities. The highest PID reading collected in the area was 26.9 ppm at 08:30 at location 1, in the ditch immediately adjacent to and downgradient of the spill site. This reading decreased throughout the day and was measured at 0 ppm at 15:15 All other measured readings at locations 2-7 were between 0-5 ppm during the first measurement taken in the morning, and decreased to 0 ppm throughout the day. The primary environmental and safety hazard at the site after the fire was extinguished was the presence of up to 4,500 gallons of flammable liquids in a compromised tank, located on a major highway. Many of the valves and fittings on the tank were fused shut as a result of the fire, so assessment of the usable valves on the tank was necessary prior to attempting any transfer activities. The KCMO FD periodically placed a layer of foam over the tank and surrounding highway during the course of operations to decrease the risk from sparks and vapors.
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2. Current Activities
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2.1 Operations Section
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2.1.1 Narrative
EPA response personnel were on-site at approximately 08:00 and proceeded to coordinate with Langer Transport representatives and on-site responders to ensure the safe transfer of product.
2.1.2 Response Actions to Date
Upon arrival at the site, the EPA coordinated with Langer Transport and on-site responders to initiate technically appropriate and safe transfer of the two products from the impacted tanks to a receiving tank for transport and disposal. Langer Transport contracted with Twin Creeks Environmental for overall response coordination, who subcontracted to Hulcher Services, Inc., for transfer of the products. Upon consultation with Hulcher Services, it was determined that the valves on the bottom of the tank were fused closed due to the fire, and accessing the product through them would necessitate re-building certain valves and would also depend on the integrity of internal inaccessible valves that may have been compromised during the fire.
Valves on the top of the tank were chosen to access the tank's contents. After its initial impact, the tank had come to rest on its side, allowing access to the majority of the tank contents from the valves connected to the top of the tank. On the 3,000-gallon section of the tank containing glycol ether acetate a Beck Valve was used, which is a modified C kit with a "can" shroud and a split collar that was placed on a top access valve and connected to a 2.5 inch hose and a pump. On the 1,500-gallon tank containing n-propyl acetate, a 1-inch air pressure valve was used as a drainage point to access the product, connected to a 1-inch hose and pump. The product was pumped out slowly into partitions in the receiving tank. Pumping operations using the access valves occurred from approximatley 12:00 to 17:00. After removing the product in the tanks to a level below the access valves, the whole tank was slowly tipped upwards using two heavy duty tow trucks. From approximately 17:00 to 18:15, the remaining product was pumped from the tanks using man-way access ports. Based on measurements taken from the receiving tank, a total of 2,258 gallons of glycol ether acetate was reclaimed: 2,209 gallons from the intact tail tank and 49 gallons from the impacted and burned nose tank. From the middle tank, 1,337 gallons of n-propyl acetate were recovered.
At approximately 20:00, the damaged tank was loaded onto a flatbed tow truck and transported with a KCMO Police Department escort to the locked storage yard of Lazer Tow Service. The tank containing the recovered product was also transported to the Lazer Tow Service storage yard. At approximately 20:00, the KCMO FD supported the clean-up effort by flushing the affected portion of the highway with approximately 2,000 gallons of water to ensure contaminant removal and to remove residue which could affect highway safety. From approximately 20:00-23:00, Twin Creeks Environmental removed standing water and residue on the highway, including the highway flushing water. Standing water, product, and firefighting foam from the culvert under I-70 which had been partially dammed as part of the response effort to contain run-off was also removed. Liquid removal was conducted using a vacuum truck, offloaded as needed into a larger portable waste tank. The EPA demobilized from the site at 23:00.
While on-site the Missouri Department of Natural Resources and EPA representatives discussed possible adjacent impacts to soil and stormwater collection areas to determine if additional environmental response actions were warranted after the initial response was complete and the highway was re-opened by the Missouri Department of Transportation.
MDNR conducted follow up site visits and collected photos on June 8, 9, and 10 to determine if there were any additional environmental remediation activities required. MDNR is not recommending any follow-up environmental activities by the PRP. The EPA concurred with MDNR’s findings that no further excavation is warranted in the area, as it appears that much of the spilled product combusted and that liquid residues were removed during the course of the response action. Due to the lack of evidence of product saturation, the proximity of local utilities, and highway access and safety issues while working near I-70, additional remediation activities are not warranted. MoDOT may choose to seed the roadbanks adjacent to the spill site areas during the course of highway maintenance activities in the impacted area.
2.1.3 Enforcement Activities, Identity of Potentially Responsible Parties (PRPs)
Langer Transport operated the tractor trailer that was the source of the spill.
Langer Transport Corporate Office
420 Route 440 North
Jersey City, NJ 07305
2.1.4 Progress Metrics
| Waste Stream |
Medium |
Quantity |
Manifest # |
Treatment |
Disposal |
| glycol ether acetate |
liquid waste |
2,258 gal |
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| n-propyl acetate |
liquid waste |
1,337 gal |
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2.2 Planning Section
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2.2.1 Anticipated Activities
N/A
2.2.1.1 Planned Response Activities
N/A
2.2.1.2 Next Steps
N/A
2.2.2 Issues
N/A
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2.3 Logistics Section
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N/A
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2.4 Finance Section
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No information available at this time.
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2.5 Other Command Staff
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2.5.1 Safety Officer
2.5.2 Liaison Officer
2.5.3 Information Officer
EPA Public Information Officer
David Bryan
KCMO FD Public Information Officer
James Garrett
MoDOT Public Information Officer
Steve Porter
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3. Participating Entities
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3.1 Unified Command
3.1.1 Incident Commander:
KCMO FD Battalion Chief
Peter Knudsen
3.1.2 Unified Command
EPA
Federal On-Scene Coordinator
Katy Miley
MDNR
State On-Scene Coordinator
Roarke Holzschuh
MoDOT
Maintenance Engineer
Jesse Skinner
3.2 Cooperating Agencies
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4. Personnel On Site
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EPA personnel on-site:
On-Scene Coordinator Katy Miley
On-Scene Coordinator Michael Davis
3 EPA START contractors
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5. Definition of Terms
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No information available at this time.
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6. Additional sources of information
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No information available at this time.
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7. Situational Reference Materials
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No information available at this time.
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