Crews begin remediating site of Monday chemical spill near Robstown
Remediation of a chemical spill earlier this week continued Friday, with contractors and fire personnel at the incident site in the Robstown area.
Multiple agencies had responded Monday to the site — described as having occurred in the “area of FM 624, Highway 77 East, County Road 50 South, and County Road 73 West” — and the spill was contained, according to a news release issued by the city of Corpus Christi.
Officials identified mercaptan, an additive intended to alert individuals to the presence of natural gas, as the substance spilled.
The volume of the spill was estimated at 250 gallons, according to a message from Corpus Christi Fire Department Assistant Chief Richie Quintero.
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has opened an investigation into the cause of the spill, agency spokeswoman Victoria Cann wrote in an email to the Caller-Times.
Thursday afternoon, contractors and the Corpus Christi Fire Department’s Hazardous Material Response Team had launched remediation operations that were expected to release odors. The potency of the smell was dependent on proximity to the site, as well as the direction and strength of the wind, according to the city's email.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention describes the scent of mercaptan as similar to “rotten cabbage.”
The activity was safe for the surrounding community, according to the news release, stating that air monitoring showed levels “well below the threshold for concern of irritation to skin, eyes, or respiratory systems for individuals living or working within this area."
Fire department personnel were expected to continue monitoring the air quality and “apply foam over the affected area to suppress vapors,” city officials said.
Crews were expected to finish remediation Friday — but the timeline couldn't be guaranteed, considering the scope of work, Quintero said in his message.
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This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: Crews remediating site of earlier chemical spill
