Posted on 11/06/2003 12:31:45 PM PST by Tree of Liberty
Just caught the tail end of the report. Apparently, there is a capsized barge in a Texas port (didn't get the port's name). According to the Coast Guard, there are chemicals on board that, if mixed, will detonate.
But something obviously made it flip over, and it certainly wasn't wind or water action.
If I posted every explosion, fire and leak in the heavily industrial areas like Texas City and Pasadena, Jim would need a bigger server.
That barge has now become unsafe, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.
A chemical reaction has been occurring since the barge turned over and that has been causing the barge to heat up.
A safety zone had already been established around the barge.
Water is being sprayed on the barge to disperse any possible chemical vapor release.
Workers from nearby plants, such as Sterling Chemicals, are being evacuated as a precaution according to the Coast Guard. No homes are impacted by the situation, according to the Texas City Office of Emergency Management.
The city is monitoring the situation, but have not called for a shelter in place.
The school district is meeting with Emergency Management Coordinator Bruce Clawson at this hour, but at this time there are no calls for lockdown. There are no schools in the immediate area of the leak.
The school district has restricted outside activities, bringing the kids back inside from recess and other outdoor activities.
http://www.news24houston.com/content/top_stories/default.asp?ArID=18219
Crews with the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration and the Coast Guard were trying to upright the vessel, which carried 235,000 gallons of sulfuric acid when it capsized Monday night.
During the cleanup process, the sulfuric acid had a chemical reaction with water, causing a bulge to form from a buildup of hydrogen gas.
Chemical companies within a half-mile radius of the barge, as well as emergency responders, were evacuated as a precaution.
Officials are using fire hoses to spray water on the barge.
"The water (being sprayed) on the barge is not actually to cool the barge down, but it's to prevent any gasses that might escape from going anywhere. It's a safety barrier," Coast Guard Chief Warrant Officer Adam Wine said. "At this time, there has been no reading or indication of any toxic fumes coming from the barge. We noticed a rise in temperature and a little buckling on the barge. You could actually hear a pinging of metal similar to your water tank heating up."
Officials said there's a minimal threat of an explosion.
"We have all monitoring equipment (at the barge). We have infrared cameras so that tells us how much heat is there. There's that potential threat but there's not any indication that it's immediate," Wine said.
"We're not anticipating any kind of explosion, but we've taken precautions to have at least a 100 meter distance around the barge," said Richard Kaser, port captain.
Kaser said that crews are expected to work through the night to alleviate the pressure in the barge.
"I feel very confident that the situation is under control and that we'll have all those resolved in the very near future," he said.
The Texas City Independent School District kept its students indoors. No schools are within the immediate area of the barge.
Authorities are monitoring air and water quality.
The public is not in danger, officials said.
"As it stands right now, they should continue their lives as normal. That's our message for our citizens today," said B.C. Clawson, with Texas City Emergency Management.
The barge is in a commercial area, so no recreational or fishing boats were affected.
The Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit in Galveston is investigating the cause of the accident.
The barge was operated by Martin Product Sales LLC of Kilgore
That's the only explanation that makes sense. This happened right at the Sterling chemical plant, which fits in with it being a loading mistake.
I was involved in a similar situation off of Cape Hatteras only the barge was loaded with Oleum (concentrated sulphuric acid). That barge did capsize and according to the crew of the tug danced about six feet off the water as the cargo hit the water.
When we got it righted the top look like it had been near a nuclear blast. I still have photos of it (somewhere).
This is the kind of thing I DO NOT miss.
Thanks for the ping.
Sulfuric acid is almost twice as dense as water. The spilled acid inside has a lot of room now to swish around. That explains it's turning on it's side after developing the bulge. A small amount of distortion results in a large weight transfer.
Probably sulfuric acid.
And don't ask me what disodium iminodiacetic acid is. I haven't a clue.
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