60 people ‘decontaminated’ after mercury spills in Texas, officials say. Teen arrested

A teenager has been arrested in connection to a liquid mercury spill in Texas on Sunday afternoon, officials say.

Less than a pint of mercury was spilled in the parking lots of Walmart, Sonic and a Shell station in Houston, police said in a news release.

Fire Chief Sam Pena said someone called 911 to report “white liquid” outside the businesses, KXAS reported. All three were evacuated.

About 60 people were decontaminated at the scene after they were discovered to have “trace amounts” of mercury contamination “near their feet and shoes,” police said.

Officials say one person — a pregnant woman — was taken to the hospital as a precaution, KTRK reported.

Dr. David Persse, local health authority for the Houston Health Department, says the amounts of mercury found on people at the scene aren’t dangerous.

“The threat to the public is very low because the spill occurred outdoors and the amount of chemical spilled is small,” Persse said in the release. “The amount of chemical detected on those exposed is below the level that’s dangerous to the average individual.”

The FBI arrested Christopher Melder, 19, Monday morning, the bureau said in a Twitter post. He’s charged with burglary, unlawful disposal of hazardous material and an outstanding felony drug possession warrant, the FBI says.

Liquid mercury can be found in dental amalgams, thermometers and fluorescent light bulbs, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. High mercury concentrations can cause severe lung damage, and prolonged exposure to low concentrations can cause neurological problems, memory issues and kidney abnormalities, the CDC says.