Chlorine Gas Leak at Olin Plant in Texas
A chlorine gas leak occurred on Tuesday morning, May 20, at an Olin Corporation chemical plant south of Houston, Texas, affecting at least four workers.The leak prompted shelter-in-place orders for the cities of Clute, Lake Jackson, and all campuses within the Brazosport Independent School District.
According to an update from the Brazoria County Sheriff's Office at 10:41 AM, the leak at Olin's Freeport facility was contained later on Tuesday morning, and the shelter-in-place orders were lifted.
The Lake Jackson Police Department stated earlier on social media that the leak was a Level 3 chlorine release, indicating the gas extended beyond the police department's jurisdiction. The Brazoria County Fire Marshal's Office later announced the leak had been downgraded to Level 2, and community roads were reopened.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns that exposure to chlorine gas can lead to breathing problems, nausea, blurred vision, coughing, and burning sensations in the eyes, throat, and nose.
Reports indicate the leak began around 9:00 AM at Olin Plant B. Olin released a statement saying, "All personnel are accounted for and individuals who may have been exposed are being evaluated by medical personnel. We are conducting a thorough analysis to determine the cause of the release."
Damond Peoples, who lives near the plant, described what friends and family observed: "It looked like a fluorescent yellow cloud," Peoples explained. "It was definitely different from any other cloud in the sky."
