August 26th, 2010
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Author: Published: Thursday, August 26, 2010, 7:01 PM
MOBILE, Ala. — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is investigating Monday’s ammonia leak on the Theodore Industrial Canal, a local health officer said today.
Dr. Bert Eichold, health officer for the Mobile County Health Department, said his agency is working with the CDC to look at “the human impact and procedures regarding the effects that the anhydrous ammonia leak caused.”
A giant plume of ammonia escaped from a roof pipe at Millard Refrigerated Services on Deer River Road just after 9 a.m. Monday, forcing nearby residents to take shelter. More than 120 people were sickened by the release.
Dozens of people went to emergency rooms, complaining of respiratory problems, dizziness and burning eyes. Only one Millard employee reported injuries.
Today, at least six people remained hospitalized, with at least one in intensive care, hospital officials said.
Millard Refrigerated Services, based in Omaha, Neb., prepares chicken for worldwide shipment at its 250,000-square-foot Theodore warehouse with five freezers. Ammonia is a key ingredient in refrigeration.
Eichold said CDC officials will survey records from hospitals and police and fire departments to examine the communitys response and preparedness, including what time a 911 call was made to notify authorities of the leak.
Someone at the company called 911 about 20 minutes after the leak was detected. Warning sirens were turned on by the Mobile County Emergency Management Agency about 20 minutes after that, according to emergency responders.
Michael Evans, EMA deputy director, said that after the 911 call, firefighters went to the facility and then contacted EMA with an assessment of the problem.
He said the agency uses what first-responders see on the scene to make a decision about what to do, such as order a shelter in place, sound alarms or evacuate.
The EMA also sends out alerts to be broadcast on TV and radio stations.
“We never hit the alarm system without sending an emergency alert system (message), which is a message that goes to all the media stations,” Evans said.
The sirens are supposed to alert people to turn on the TV or radio to learn more about the emergency.
He said he couldn’t comment on the 20 minutes between Millard detecting the leak and calling 911.
According to the company, detection of the leak occurred at 9:05 a.m., and workers had to find the source on the roof, shut it off and evacuate the facility. A 911 dispatch center received a call from the plant at 9:25 a.m.
Company officials said this week that their response was timely. Officials declined further comment Thursday until the investigations have concluded.
Firefighters notified the Emergency Management Agency at 9:30 a.m., officials said, and the EMA sounded sirens 15 to 20 minutes later.
Evans said some of the sirens used Monday were purchased about 15 years ago by industries along the canal and handed over to EMA.
The sirens used both alarm noises and a voice message, warning people to take shelter indoors, he said, and he wasn’t aware of any problems with them.
“We sounded them, and they went off,” Evans said, adding that it can be difficult for people to understand the voice message if they’re farther away from the siren.
The U.S. Occupational Safety & Health Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency also are investigating Monday’s incident.
Kurt Petermeyer, OSHA area director in Mobile, said that while his agency has standards for emergency responses in the workplace — such as protective equipment, training and timely evacuations — he’s not aware of any timetables imposed on companies.
He said he couldn’t comment on how long it took Millard to call 911, because the incident was still being probed.
OSHA will focus on what caused the pipe to split open, such as whether the pipe had degraded or had to too much pressure, he said. The pipe will be removed and studied.
At the University of South Alabama Medical Center, five patients injured by the leak were still being treated this afternoon, with one remaining in intensive care, said hospital spokesman Bob Lowry.
At Infirmary West, which was closest to the leak, one person was still being treated following the ammonia leak this afternoon, according to hospital spokeswoman Lauren Giddens.
(Staff Reporter Casandra Andrews contributed to this report.)
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