PASADENA, Texas -- The lengthy reporting delay and confusion that prompted local officials to demand further investigation into a Pasadena plant’s chemical leak are evident in 911 tapes obtained by 11 News.
The toxic nitric oxide leak happened Tuesday night at the Air Products chemical facility along Highway 225.
After the leak was contained, Plant Manager Jacques Joseph told 11 News that there was no danger.
"We immediately alerted the local L.E.P.C. (Local Emergency Planning Committee),” he said. "We wanted to make sure that we take the necessary precautions to prevent injuries from happening to our local citizens.”
However, taped phone calls between the Pasadena Fire Department and the company reveal confusion and lengthy indecision.
After receiving reports from Pasadena police officers about the orange cloud drifting south over Highway 225, a fire department dispatcher calls the plant and can only get a voice mail message.
Next she calls the L.E.P.C. CAER (Community Awareness Emergency Response) Line, the service refineries and petrochemical plants are supposed to report to if they have a problem worthy of alerting the public.
“Have y’all gotten reports of this,” the dispatcher asks.
“No,” the CAER representative responds. “I haven't heard anything about it."
Next the operator reaches the Air Products and Chemicals Inc. facility in LaPorte.
"Yes this is Cassie with the Pasadena Fire Department. Are y’all having some sort of leak?”
“No,” the company representative responds.
"An 18-wheeler trucker driver just drove through it and is now having respiratory problems,” the dispatcher tells her.
"I will get a hold of the plant, and could I get your name and number please,” the Air Products representative says.
Next the operator calls TxDOT asking them to look at their traffic cameras to see where the cloud is going. It is still drifting south across the Pasadena Freeway.
Then finally, Joseph, the plant manager calls her.
"Yes, there is a red to brown color of smoke with black inside,” the dispatcher tells him.
"Right,” is all he says in response.
"And I've been told by our PD patrol units,” says the dispatcher, “that it is coming from your facility there at 225 and Beltway 8."
"Right,” he responds again.
"Are y’all having any kind of spills,” the dispatcher asks.
“We were having problems and we put a lot in the CAER Line and you should have got a call from us indicating we were having problems,” Joseph says.
“Yeah I didn’t receive any calls,” the dispatcher says. "It's been about 20 minutes trying to figure out everything, so I needed to know why I didn't get a call.”
“Yeah it's happening right now and we're just trying to get it under control,” says Joseph.
In a separate call the dispatcher then has a conversation with another employee at the Air Products facility.
“It's probably a level one,” he tells the dispatcher, referring to the scale that rates the danger of the situation. “It's a visible plume and it’s easing outside the boundaries of our plant.”
The dispatcher tells the man what he’s just said doesn’t make sense.
“The cloud is leaving y’all’s facility? This is not a level one,” she says.
The man on the other end of the line then admits it is at least a level two event.
"OK is it hazardous to your health,” the female dispatcher asks the Air Products employee.
“Uh … yes, if you inhale it, yes ma'am,” he responds.
"So we need to have a shelter in place,” she says.
"Yes ma'am,” he responds.
"So that is not a level one or two, that's a three,” says the dispatcher.
The final conversation recorded by the Pasadena Fire Department is another call from the plant manager, Joseph, who says his company alerted authorities and the public immediately. He is talking to the same Pasadena Fire dispatcher.
“We kind of (got) it under control, but because of the wind direction and the low levels for the way it is, I would make sure we put some caution out there for folks that are traveling in the area that they kind of shelter in place,” said Joseph.
“OK, so there is going to be a shelter in place,” she asks him.
"Well I am trying to see…” says Joseph.
The dispatcher is adamant that she receives a better answer.
"No, I need a ‘yes’ or a ‘no’ right now. Is there going to be a shelter in place? I have been dealing with this for about forty minutes,” she implores him.
“Yeah,” responds Joseph.
"And I am looking up in our books that it is saying that this could have respiration problems and possible death, so that is not OK,” the dispatcher says, telling him of the fire department’s research on nitric oxide. “And the fact that y'all reported this so late…”
"Well, go ahead,” says Joseph.
“So is it ‘yes’ or ‘no’ (that) I need to shelter in place on 225,” the dispatcher says pressing for an answer.
Joseph finally responds: "Yeah."
11 News did not receive an immediate response from Air Products regarding the release of the 911 tapes and the 40 minute delay described by authorities.
The chemical release and the delay are under investigation by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and the EPA.
