The liquid spilled is an alcohol. The primary danger is it is flammable. The spill occurred not far from where the Elk meets the Kanawha. The USGS gage at Charleston shows the river flowing at six million gallons per minute. The MSDS sheet shows it is a non-toxic substance. It won’t be around long.
“According to the Boone County Health Department, they are trying to close all restaurants, and essentially anyplace that uses water...”
That’s a relief, they are only closing those places that for some reason happen to use water.
So, this is effecting over 300K people???
And the chemical is “considered” (by authorities) to be non-toxic???
“4-methylcyclohexane methanol”, used in the cleansing (preparation) of coal...
What a mess to clean up...
For something which is non-toxic, and not a clear and present danger to the drinking water, the so-called authorities are sure going to great lengths to inconvenience a lot of people and businesses. Methinks there’s more to this story than is being reported.
One of those chemical plants along the Kanawha river S. of Charleston you see from the turnpike ?
When we drive up to Ohio we pass that way.
I don’t get spooked until we are driving W. of Charleston near Nitro, St. Albans.
Remember the sister chemical plant to the Bhopal, India disaster is just across the highway.