STORM2K

I was just on the NWS website and noticed that Austin, TX is under a "shelter in place warning."

Shelter in Place Warning

TXC453-252000-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
SHELTER IN PLACE WARNING
TEXAS EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO TEXAS
RELAYED BY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO TX
1138 AM CDT THU MAY 25 2006

THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE IS TRANSMITTED AT THE REQUEST OF THE CITY OF
AUSTIN OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.

A CHLORINE LEAK CONTINUES FROM A TANKER IN THE 9200 BLOCK OF EAST
HIGHWAY 290. RESIDENTS IN THE CHIMINEY HILLS AND WALNUT TRACE
SUBDIVISIONS SHOULD REMAIN IN THEIR HOMES, TURN OFF THEIR AIR
CONDITIONER, CLOSE WINDOWS AND DOORS, AND LISTEN TO MEDIA FOR
FURTHER UPDATES. THERE IS NO NEED TO EVACUATE, HOWEVER CHLORINE
CAN BE AN IRRITANT IF INHALED. RESIDENTS NEEDING TO LEAVE THAT
AREA SHOULD DO SO BY GOING NORTH ON SPRINGDALE THEN WEST ON
FURGESON.

$$

What a scary situation! Hopefully everybody comes out of this alright.

Chlorine an irritant? It's a Poison Gas that was used widely in WWI as a Chemical Weapon!

Steve

Depends on the concentration. I sure wouldn't want to be around it though.

I remember someone in my family had dumped some chlorine in our dumpster years ago. I went to put some trash in it and the second I opened it, I could hardly breathe. I ran out of the carport to catch my breath.

Houston had a tanker full of chlorine crash and explode in the mid 70's at the intersection of the busiest freeways in the city. 6 people died and many more were affected by the cloud that resulted. I was evacuated from my place of business(thousands were) and had to drive through the cloud or a pocket of the gas and damn near choked to a point of it being dangerous(I was driving). I was 6 blocks north of where the accident had happened a few hours earlier. Definitely a very dangerous situation and DEFINITELY a poison and horrible irritatnt.

vbhoutex wrote:Houston had a tanker full of chlorine crash and explode in the mid 70's at the intersection of the busiest freeways in the city. 6 people died and many more were affected by the cloud that resulted. I was evacuated from my place of business(thousands were) and had to drive through the cloud or a pocket of the gas and damn near choked to a point of it being dangerous(I was driving). I was 6 blocks north of where the accident had happened a few hours earlier. Definitely a very dangerous situation and DEFINITELY a poison and horrible irritatnt.

vb, is this the accident you're referring to?

http://www.maxmcrae.com/major_fires/ammonia.htm

I was living there at the time as a teenager and remember it well. It was really horrific, not only for the deaths it caused but for the people it crippled as well. I also recall that there was also another ammonia truck accident that killed several people earlier that year in Deer Park.

Boy, I never much liked driving on Houston freeways then, and now that I'm 20-some years removed from big city commutes, it freaks the bejeezus out of me when I'm over there during peak drive times.

That particular accident gave me a lifelong respect for anhydrous ammonia that to this day, makes me steer clear of any tanker on the highway hauling the stuff.

BayouVenteux wrote:

vbhoutex wrote:Houston had a tanker full of chlorine crash and explode in the mid 70's at the intersection of the busiest freeways in the city. 6 people died and many more were affected by the cloud that resulted. I was evacuated from my place of business(thousands were) and had to drive through the cloud or a pocket of the gas and damn near choked to a point of it being dangerous(I was driving). I was 6 blocks north of where the accident had happened a few hours earlier. Definitely a very dangerous situation and DEFINITELY a poison and horrible irritatnt.

vb, is this the accident you're referring to?

http://www.maxmcrae.com/major_fires/ammonia.htm

I was living there at the time as a teenager and remember it well. It was really horrific, not only for the deaths it caused but for the people it crippled as well. I also recall that there was also another ammonia truck accident that killed several people earlier that year in Deer Park.

Boy, I never much liked driving on Houston freeways then, and now that I'm 20-some years removed from big city commutes, it freaks the bejeezus out of me when I'm over there during peak drive times.

That particular accident gave me a lifelong respect for anhydrous ammonia that to this day, makes me steer clear of any tanker on the highway hauling the stuff.

Yep that is it!! I forgot it was ammonia. Still it was horrible. Can not imagine that Chlorine could be any less worse, especially after having to deal with it at a pool that had a small leak.

It did take them a while to clean that up yesterday. We aren't in the area mentioned, but a few miles due north of that. I'm sensitive to clorine (the amount of clorine they use in the Dallas water supply bothered me) but I don't think it affected me yesterday.

Hard to say - my asthma was acting up as I walked to and from the bus stop yesterday afternoon - but that could have been pollution and exhaust I breathed while waiting for bus connections. Pro'bly was.