Smell from DuPont facility spill in La Porte spreads as far as Sugar Land (Houston: organic, live)

[Oildog]

My condolences to the families involved.

[Weatherguy]

I work in the air quality business, and actually, it's very possible to smell chemicals as far away as Sugarland. But it's only possible if the wind was from the direction of the spill. If winds are light and variable, it becomes complicated.

If this was a significant spill, then technical people at the state's air quality agency may have already conducted computer modeling. You can call the agency (Texas Commission on Environmental Quality) and see if they did.

Edit: Just saw the post on the deaths. I hadn't heard about this event until I saw it here. Will do an online search.

[houstonfan]

My friends reported a foul odor even beyond Rosenberg early Saturday morning. Something was definitely in the air

[texas7]

Tragic loss of life.

[124c41]

I had a friend that lives in the Needville area writing that he smelled it strong, and it was burning his eyes.

[texas7]

A woman was on the evening news saying it was sad but that occasionally happens in any plant work. That doesn't have to happen - safety counts. You have to train and train to get employees to develop a safety culture and value the importance of it. Hard but it can be done where incidents are far and few between.

[Dopo]

Originally Posted by Oildog

Of course not. The proximity has me suspicious though.

You do realize that when people see steam from a plant, several run to a local quick care and complain about feeling ill. Lawyers print up cards on what symptoms to say.

Should we wait until people die to do something?

[Oildog]

Originally Posted by Dopo

Should we wait until people die to do something?

What a stupid and insensitive comment, especially from someone who claims to work with this industry.
The people in Sugarland are fine.

[seadoons]

I live in South Katy, almost in Richmond, and swear I smelled it in my backyard. I know we are far from the release but it definitely stunk!

[texas7]

Wonder what other air pollutants are carried your way via winds daily that have no noticeable smell? The areas immediately next to Laporte had no odor.