chemical explosion on the news is 20 minutes away

[LynnG]

If you hear about this chemical explosion in Apex, NC on the national news, it is about 20 minutes from me. It happened latter part of last evening with flames shooting up to 200 feet in the air. My sister on the north side of Raleigh said she could smell it in the air last night during her night job. I would imagine then the wind was blowing that way. Today the wnd is blowing my way, but we had rain start off and on around sunrise...and it is to continue throughout today. I do have a bitter taste in my mouth after going out to feed the horses a couple of hours ago. I'm due a lunch appt near the command center area at noon. the restaurant I called and they said they would be open. The main town area has been evacuated.

http://www.newsobserver.com/102/story/495143.html
http://www.newsobserver.com/media/2006/10/06/05/FIRE1.NE.100506.CCS_1.embedded.jpg

rain is suppose to wash the chemicals out of the air....so they say that is the best thing that can happen today. The fire they have been letting it burn out on its own.

[Tami Pinell]

Lynn - watch out for a persistant cough later.... that stuff can tear up your lungs and infections (bronchitis) is common after a chemical fire like that. So take care.

[Blameitonbrio]

I am glad that you are not any closer. I was worried for you and the herd (that includes Smut and Michaela).

Thank goodness for the rain too. I will remember not to complain about it too much while I am out and about today!

Do watch for a cough. Seems like when one gets started this time of year, it is hard to shake.

[LynnG]

here's the story on the web............

APEX - Fire crews have not begun to fight a fire at a hazardous waste plant that has spread a cloud of dangerous chlorine gas across Apex this morning, forcing more than 15,000 people to evacuate.
Officials say they planned to send a hazardous materials crew in a mid-morning to evaluate the fire. In the meantime, they've been letting it burn, out of concern that pouring water or foam on it would make things worse, said town manager Bruce Radford. The rain that started falling around 7 a.m. "doesn't make anything better," Radford said.

State officials have set up air monitors around the fire, but have so far not detecting "anything alarming," according to a statement from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. The rain should help reduce the amount of toxic chemicals in the air, the statement said.

The fire that followed a series of late-night explosions at Environmental Quality Co. just east of downtown has closed all Apex schools and school bus routes that start inside the Western Wake town. In addition, the Wake County Public School System said bus transportation elsewhere in Western and Southwestern Wake County would likely be delayed this morning. Green Hope High School in Cary, which is being used a shelter for evacuated residents, will also be closed.

Officials urged people to evacuate an area bounded by U.S. 1, N.C. 55 and U.S. 64 highways in Apex and unincorporated areas. Police are blocking roads into the center of town, and Radford urged everyone to stay away.

"If they choose to come, go ahead and write their names on their foreheads and the names of their next of kin," he said.

The fire also shut down a large stretch of N.C. 55 -- a major road into jobs in and around Research Triangle Park -- in time for this morning's commute. Northbound drivers on N.C. 55 are being detoured around Apex via northbound U.S. 1, then onto westbound U.S. 64 and back to N.C. 55.

Heavy congestion was reported on these roads this morning, and the Highway Patrol suggested that commuters find other routes.

The fire raged out of control all night, and firefighters could not get closer than 100 yards to it.

By 5 a.m. today, the fire had spread to neighboring White Oil and ignited four petroleum tanks.

Residents who did not evacuate were advised to stay indoors, keep their windows closed, and turn off air conditioning or other air exchange systems.

Shelters were opened at Olive Chapel Elementary and Turner Creek Elementary, where about 380 people had sought refuge as of 7 a.m. But as the day began, most people left and those who remained were being transferred to Green Hope High School. Officials think many hundreds or thousands of evacuees have found shelter on their own at hotels or with family and friends.

"A lot of people have reconnected with family members, and a lot have found lodging on their own," said Jane Martin, Wake County spokeswoman.

Staff writer Sarah Ovaska can be reached at 829-4622 or sovaska@newsobserver.com.

Luckily for me, I had my house closed up last night due to the rian predicted and colder weather. I turned in early and didn't know anything about it until this morn until my sister called. I have a bit of a headache, but may be due to lack of food..not much dinner last night and no breakfast.

I'll be keeping an eye out and staying inside mostly due to rain.......... it is all that is being on the local news all morning.

Now all those Apex residents probably didn't even know they had a chemical plant right in their backyard. No signs out and the tall fence had a covering over it blocking view of any activities within. At least we know we have a nuclear plant in our backyard in my little town...it is very regulated and we all know about the evacuation routes in an emergency.
yikes!

so the question was posed to me this morning by a neigbor friend, if I had to evacuate ... which horses would I take. Good question for folks to think about that have multiple horses and they don't all fit on the trailer.

[Brigitte]

so the question was posed to me this morning by a neigbor friend, if I had to evacuate ... which horses would I take. Good question for folks to think about that have multiple horses and they don't all fit on the trailer.
Wouldn't ever want to think about that...

[DebbieS]

How scary, Lynn. Hopefully id doesn't come to that.

Prayers going out to you and others in the area!

[LynnG]

Back from town now. The restaurant "Dixie Belle's" I went to for lunch had it's parking lot full of news trucks and satellite dishes. Not many people in there for lunch when it should of been full. We did see the restaurant owner being interviewed by some of the news folks. Saw News trucks from Winston-Salem area 2 hrs away.

16,000 now evacuated in the town of Apex. I got to pick up horse, dog and people food, so set for a few days at least. I should probably get a few extra large trash barrels for emergencies for water for the horses. Most would have to be left behind...some couldn't be trailered with others without a partition in the stock trailer. ... Being we do have the nuclear plant about 3-4 miles away, you just never know in today's time. A friend was out here when the nke plant's test sirens last went off... totally freaked her out. I told her it was a test...if they stop after a few minutes. That was a loud test siren though. still eery to hear them go off.

whew!!! cheers everyone.

[LynnG]

UPDATE:

Well the explosion was the lead-in 6pm news story on ABC national news with Charles Gibson tonight. Did anyone see it tonight?

We don't need this kind of thing happening that would make the lead-in news story so close to home. Very cool out tonight. There were still fires burning at early evening so most everyone has not been able to go back home yet.

:-? well heading that way again in morn to vet clinic, just down the road from the evacuation area. :arrow: