The city of La Porte in Texas, on July 21, issued shelter-in-place and evacuation orders for residents within a half-mile radius of Dow Chemical’s facility following a chemical leak. The shelter-in-place order was lifted by midday, but the area remained under the evacuation order as of Wednesday evening. The Harris County Pollution Control reported no impact on air quality, but officials were concerned about the possibility of an explosion.
Dow Chemical confirmed a “process upset incident” at 7:27 AM on Wednesday that involved the release of hydroxyethyl acrylate from a tank wagon. Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo said the evacuation order was kept in place in case a chemical reaction in the affected truck was continuing. There were two nearby trucks, one carrying hydroxyethyl acrylate and another one having methyl methacrylate inside.
The company has deployed an emergency team to conduct thermal assessments of the tanker truck. Hydroxyethyl acrylate, also known as ROCRYL 420 or HEA, is usually used in adhesive and coatings. Dow Chemical said it is harmful if swallowed and can cause eye damage, severe skin burns and allergic reactions.
The evacuation zone covers two other chemical production facilities. They are Juraray’s plant producing polyvinyl alcohol and Goodyear’s facility producing hydroquinone, acetone, and antioxidants. The two plants remained in operation with reduced staff to maintain safety.
