WEST ORANGE, Texas — The United States Environmental Protection Agency has released its report following a chemical odor release at a railcar repair facility in West Orange.
EPA followed up with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality after receiving two National Response Center reports indicating an ongoing air release of ethyl acrylate in West Orange.
According to the release, "two EPA On-Scene Coordinators and technical assistance contractors (START) were activated to respond to the incident."
EPA says that crews didn't find detections "above the action level" on-site during the response.
The agency will follow up with Eagle Railcar Services with a demand letter to address state regulatory issues observed and related to the release.
The EPA stated in their press release;
"The EPA conducted on-site air monitoring with an X-PID air monitoring meter with a detection limit of 3 parts per million (ppm) and an action level of 8.3 ppm (Acute Exposure Guideline Limit (AEGL) 1 for 10 minutes). The EPA did not detect ethyl acrylate on-site during the response. The railcar was flared while the contents polymerized. The PRP utilized a water blanket to cool the railcar. Once the reaction in the railcar was complete, the pressure in the railcar was at zero pounds per square inch, and only polymerized solids remained."
On Thursday, officials announced that the source of the chemical odor in West Orange, Bridge City and Orangefield was due to a release from a railcar at a repair facility about half a mile south of West Orange-Stark High School.
A railcar at Eagle Railcar Services on Foreman Rd. was "conducting a controlled flaring operation," according to a news release from the Orange County Office of Emergency Management. The flaring at the 60 acre facility, with a capacity for 650 railcars, continued for several hours.
A total of 24 people, some suffering from respiratory issues and some from anxiety issues were taken to Christus hospitals in Southeast Texas, according to a spokesperson. Nine were taken to Christus St. Elizabeth Hospital in Beaumont.
The shelter-in-place for West Orange, Bridge City and Orangefield was lifted at 8 p.m. Thursday night, according to a release from Orange County Office of Emergency Management.
On Friday afternoon, Brent Coon & Associates law firm announced the first lawsuit following the railcar chemical odor release.
This is a developing story. We will update with more if and when we receive more confirmed information.