BREAKING ......CHARLESTON WEST VIRGINIA EMERGENCY!!!

[ElsewheresDaughter]

Source: http://www.akweb.com/cgi-bin/akweb.cgi?forecast=warnings&pands=charleston%2Cwv

LOCAL AREA EMERGENCY
LOCAL AREA EMERGENCY... THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE IS TRANSMITTED AT THE REQUEST OF THE KANAWHA COUNTY 911. THIS IS AN UPDATE TO THE HAZE AND CHLORINE SMELL OVER THE KANAWHA VALLEY AS REPORTED TO METRO 911. AS OF THIS TIME...METRO 911 HAS NOT RECEIVED ANY REPORTS OF PEOPLE EXPERIENCING ACUTE DISTRESS FROM CONTACT WITH THIS UNKNOWN SUBSTANCE. METRO 911 STILL HAS NOT BEEN NOTIFIED OF THE SOURCE OR ORIGIN...AND NO ONE HAS NOTIFIED METRO 911 THAT THEY HAVE HAD A LEAK OR RELEASE. AS SUCH...EMERGENCY OFFICIALS ARE NOT ADVISING A FORMAL SHELTER IN PLACE...BUT IT IS NOT RECOMMENDED TO VOLUNTARILY PROLONG EXPOSURE BECAUSE THE SUBSTANCE IS STILL UNKNOWN.

video link and more info: http://www.wsaz.com/home/headlines/14367822.html

Read more: http://www.akweb.com/cgi-bin/akweb.cgi?forecast=warnings&pands=charleston%2Cwv

---

MY best friend liveS in Charleston, she just called and said she can see the blue haze very clearly and yes, it smells like chlorine.


"LOCAL AREA EMERGENCY... THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE IS TRANSMITTED AT THE REQUEST OF THE KANAWHA METRO 911. METRO 911 ADVISES THERE IS A HAZE WITH A STRONG CHLORINE SMELL IN THE CHARLESTON AND SOUTH CHARLESTON AREA. THE CAUSE OF THE ODOR REMAINS UNKNOWN AT THIS TIME. IF YOU FEEL LIKE YOU ARE IN ANY FORM OF DISTRESS...STAY INSIDE AND CALL 911 FOR ASSISTANCE."

CHLORINE CAN KILL YOU VERY QUICKLY IF INHALED IN LARGE DOSES.

BE CAREFUL AND GET OUT OF THE HAZE....seek higher ground?

[Zynx]

1. Is there a major chemical plant nearby?

This is serious.

[Botany]

3. Several Plants

Monsanto, Dow, and others.

[Zynx]

6. That's what I remember about West Virginia.

Yikes.

[Botany]

9. if you look at "cancer hotspots" the Kanawha River Valley ....

jumps right out.

Nitro, W.V. is chocked full of Chemical Plants

[mmm413]

15. Could this be the next 9/11?

Sent in sarcasm.

[The Doctor.]

21. Use the

:sarcasm: icon.

just put the word 'sarcasm' between two ':'

Welcome to DU.

:hi:

[Kolesar]

5. There was a lethal gas cloud in nearby Institute, WV in the 1980s

Methyl isocyanate

http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-15941561.html

[Staph]

17. Many chemical plants here.

We are known as the Chemical Valley -- Bayer, Dupont, Dow, FMC, you name it, we got it. The smell was noticed at about 1:15 PM today, and seems to be dissipating quickly. The major chemical factories are denying any leaks.

We're used to dealing with potential chemical problems here. There is a monthly test of the warning siren. We all have duct tape and know how to use it.

[pattmarty]

26. Jesus Christ!!!!! How bad is it to live in the area?

[Staph]

30. It's the history of West Virginia.

Our best resources are natural resources, owned for centuries by out-of-state individuals and companies. You know about our coal industry. We also have natural gas, and that cheap energy brought the chemical industry to the state. Our people work in these dangerous industries to make a living without leaving.

It's actually a beautiful place to live, even here in the Charleston area. Charleston is the largest city in the state -- population 55,000. We have a state forest seven miles from downtown. The people are friendly. Our crime rate is low. Our cost of living is low as well (I live in a two-bedroom, two-bath apartment with a fireplace, washer/dryer, off-street parking, swimming pool, tennis courts, ten minutes from downtown, surrounded by woods. I pay less than $700 per month.)

My ancestors moved to what is now West Virginia in the 1740s. I plan to be buried in the family cemetery, near my parents, grandparents, great-grandparents, and sundry other relatives. John Denver was right - West Virginia is Almost Heaven!

[SharonAnn]

23. Yes, many big ones. All serious polluters.

[Hugin]

2. K&R

!

[eppur_se_muova]

4. Chlorine is a very dense gas -- definitely seek higher ground! nt

[TroglodyteScholar]

7. The story at WCHS...

Emergency dispatchers have contacted every area chemical plant and say no leaks have been reported. Most 911 callers are complaining of a bleach-like smell in the air.

http://www.wchstv.com/newsroom/wv/news1.shtml

[ElsewheresDaughter]

8. more info

WIND REPORT FROM TONY CAVALIER:
There is virtually no wind and that will continue this eve.

That means there will be a higher concentration of the gas/haze over smaller area than if we had a wind blowing the haze affecting a larger area with a smaller concentration.

What is likely happening, the gas is warmer than the air is rising and spreading outward due a process known as diffusion.

What is diffusion? The spreading out of a gas in all directions regardless of wind speed, direction.


Dispatchers earlier told us they've checked with Dow and Bayer, and those companies say they've had no leaks.



A caller to WSAZ says she saw a blue cloud headed toward her house just off Corridor G.

Dale Petry, Kanawha County Emergency Services Director says crews are trying to track the source of the haze -- and that it's dissipating as quickly as it appeared. Petry says he doesn't know what the chemical is, but says it has a chlorine-like smell.

Anyone wanting additional information about the mystery haze should call [phone].

Stay with WSAZ.com for more information.

Here is the news release issued by Metro 911 at 3:48pm:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Metro 911 reports haze and chlorine smell over Charleston and South Charleston

Officials advise if you are in distress, stay inside and do not hesitate to call 911 for help

Metro 911 of Kanawha County is reporting a haze and strong chlorine smell in the Charleston and South Charleston area.

Metro 911 has received dozens of calls from the public, starting around 1:15 p.m. today and continuing at this hour.

Industrial sources of hazardous materials are required to notify Metro 911 when they have a leak or release of such product. At this time, Metro 911 has not received any notification. Metro 911 and emergency managers have contacted all chemical facilities in the region and none report any lost product.

As a result, emergency officials do not know the source of the smell or what the product is or its origin. Following established protocols, emergency officials have activated the Emergency Operations Center and are tracking the location of the calls.

The public is being advised that if you are in any form of distress, stay inside and do not hesitate to call 911 for help. Extra ambulances are on standby as a precaution.

The EOC will stand open to assess and monitor this situation until officials are assured there is no danger.

For more information, call EOC personnel at 746-8743.

[smoogatz]

10. Very freaky.

Apparently the haze covers a pretty large area. This is about 100 miles south of my hometown; WSAZ and WCHS were the TV stations I watched as a kid. You always worry about another Bhopal in a place like Charleston.

[bigworld]

12. live webcams here

wow, it does look hazy...
http://www.thegazz.com/webcam/?camera=gazzcam

also

http://www.wchstv.com/newsroom/wx/tcamlive.shtml

[davidinalameda]

32. where did you grow up?

I'm originally from about an hour south of Wheeling

[Drum]

43. I grew up in Wheeling

:hi:

[DearAbby]

11. Excuse me for my ignorance

could this be a meth lab?

[MountainLaurel]

16. I'm guessing no

Just because this is too widespread across the valley. Also, there are a gazillion chemical plants there, so with Occam's Razor and all, meth lab is an unlikely choice.

[balantz]

19. A meth lab big enough to make that kind of cloud would probably be located

south of the border these days.

[Phred42]

13. So now we get to speculate - Who dunit?

And Why?

[bigbrother05]

14. stay safe

[greiner3]

18. It will be okay;

Chemical companies are completely self regulated. They would not let any cover up go undetected.

[Cronus Protagonist]

20. They GASSED their own people!

No wait, that was... no... wait...

[MnFats]

22. has the Mothman been seen lately? only half kidding....

weren't there odd sightings in W. Va. before a disastrous bridge failure?.
...not trying to be flippant...oddities like that fascinate me...

[Barrett808]

24. Mothman: Point Pleasant and Charleston, WV

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mothman

[JBoy]

25. Chlorine is nasty stuff. We got evacuated back in 1979

during the "Mississauga Train Derailment". http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1979_Mississauga_train_derailment

Just outside of Toronto a big train derailed, several propane tankers exploded and the fire put at risk a bunch of derailed chlorine tankers. Over 200,000 people were evacuated for about 5 days, in the biggest peacetime evacuation in North America - until Katrina. I was in high school at the time, so I got a vacation at the cottage (in November, so it wasn't as much fun as it sounds). They released the evacuation notice gradually, and I remember driving home along a road that was the boundary line - every intersection had police cars with flashing lights blocking off access to the forbidden zone. It was surreal.

[DS1]

27. Bhopal

[razors edge]

34. Thats right.

Charleston and Bhopal are the only two with methylisocyanate.

[CorpGovActivist]

41. Precisely...

... this was http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=union+carbide+bhopal+%22west+virginia%22">big news when the Bhopal disaster happened.

Much of my immediate family is still about 40 minutes away from most of the chemical plants in the Kanawha Valley; I was in junior high when Bhopal happened, and this pretty much ensured the WV plant's shutdown.

- Dave

[7horses]

28. I sure hope...

everyone is alright!

[Warpy]

29. I remember driving through some of the most beautiful country

on earth, the Smokies, and suddenly coming down into this valley of train tracks, chemical plants pouring out nauseating fumes, and everything seemingly covered with a thin film of grey grease and wondering "My gawd, how could anybody DO this?" I was appalled.

Of course, I had noticed all the abandoned cabins in the beautiful country. I guess for people who were hungry enough, that kind of sacrilege seemed like a decent tradeoff. At least the kids got to eat.

I'm just surprised they don't poison folks in that valley more often, I guess.

[Lorien]

35. Give the kids an education

and they won't have to (pardon the expression) shit where they eat.

[Historic NY]

31. All the links show its Saturday the 26th of Jan.

[davidinalameda]

33. here's the Gazette story

http://www.wvgazette.com/News/200801250495

[yardwork]

36. Oh no.

[hollowdweller]

37. It was burning my eyes inside my building 4th floor in Charleston today!

I saw it roll in sometime after lunch about 6:30pm it had mostly dissipated in Charleston around the mall.

I thought it was a little bit funny that there is a strange chemical cloud that moved thru most of the Kanawha Valley. Nobody knew where it came from or what it was, but they went ahead and told people to go out in it.

[alfredo]

39. Romny farted

[Ilsa]

38. Do what Israel does: issue gas masks to entire population.

What a lovely way to live. :sarcasm: And the terrorists are all corporate.

[FourScore]

40. kick

[ElsewheresDaughter]

42. Chlorine Gas Continues to Permeate In W. Virginia...Saturday

NEWS UPDATE SATURDAY @ 1:14PM:
http://www.wsaz.com/news/headlines/14367822.html

Here is the latest information released by Metro 911
The blue haze and chlorine smell that hung over the region Friday has
lifted, and test results indicate pollutants normally in the air coupled
with atmospheric conditions caused the problem, officials said.

State emergency and air quality officials were monitoring air samples
until 1 a.m. today, while Kanawha County emergency officials staffed its emergency operations center.

Callers in the region began calling Metro 911 in the early afternoon
Friday, reporting a blue haze with a strong smell of chlorine. Metro 911
received no reports of acute distress as a result of the situation.

Officials continue to monitor the situation.



Satellite image



youtube

http://www.youtube.com/v/eecV5RtUMdw

http://www.youtube.com/v/GgxN3btRkvU