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Volume 17
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Brief Report

The Intercontinental Terminals Chemical Fire Study: A Rapid Response to an Industrial Disaster to Address Resident Concerns in Deer Park, Texas

by
Heyreoun An Han
1,
Inkyu Han
1,
Sheryl McCurdy
2,
Kristina Whitworth
1,3,
George Delclos
1,
Amal Rammah
1 and
Elaine Symanski
4,*
1
Southwest Center for Occupational and Environmental Health, Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics and Environmental Sciences, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) School of Public Health, 1200 Pressler, Houston, TX 77030, USA
2
Center for Health Promotion and Prevention Research, Department of Behavioral Sciences and Health Promotion, UTHealth School of Public Health, Houston, TX 77030 USA
3
UTHealth School of Public Health in San Antonio, 7411 John Smith, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
4
Center for Precision Environmental Health, Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(3), 986; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17030986
Submission received: 9 December 2019 / Revised: 18 January 2020 / Accepted: 3 February 2020 / Published: 5 February 2020
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Abstract

On Sunday, 17 March 2019, a fire erupted at the Intercontinental Terminals Company (ITC, Deer Park, La Porte, TX, USA), resulting in a large fire that blazed for several days. In response, we rapidly launched disaster response activities to monitor air pollutants (total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs), fine particulate matter (PM2.5), black carbon (BC), and ultra-fine particles (UFPs) during the fire in two affected communities. To assess immediate health effects and residential air quality, we also rapidly launched a pilot study, the Deer Park Chemical Fire (DeeP Fire) Study, in which we administered health surveys and installed samplers to monitor air quality outdoors of resident homes for up to six weeks. In both communities, mean ambient concentrations of PM2.5, BC and TVOCs were higher during the first week of the fire than a week after it was extinguished. Thirteen residents participated in the DeeP Fire Study. Most residents reported experiencing respiratory symptoms and some reported being bothered by at least one post-traumatic stress disorder symptom during the fire and two weeks afterwards. In the months following the fire, the 7-day mean ambient concentration of benzene from 12 homes was 0.13 ± 0.10 parts per billion (ppb) and the 6-week mean ambient concentrations of PM2.5 and TVOCs were 13 ± 6 µg/m3 and 108 ± 98 ppb, respectively. All residents requested and received individualized air monitoring reports. Surveillance systems that enable real-time monitoring of the environmental health impact during a major industrial incident are needed to provide timely information to adequately respond to a disaster in the future.
Keywords: disaster response; ITC fire; air pollution; volatile organic compounds (VOCs); benzene; particulate matter (PM); black carbon (BC); health surveys disaster response; ITC fire; air pollution; volatile organic compounds (VOCs); benzene; particulate matter (PM); black carbon (BC); health surveys

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MDPI and ACS Style

An Han, H.; Han, I.; McCurdy, S.; Whitworth, K.; Delclos, G.; Rammah, A.; Symanski, E. The Intercontinental Terminals Chemical Fire Study: A Rapid Response to an Industrial Disaster to Address Resident Concerns in Deer Park, Texas. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17, 986. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17030986

AMA Style

An Han H, Han I, McCurdy S, Whitworth K, Delclos G, Rammah A, Symanski E. The Intercontinental Terminals Chemical Fire Study: A Rapid Response to an Industrial Disaster to Address Resident Concerns in Deer Park, Texas. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2020; 17(3):986. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17030986

Chicago/Turabian Style

An Han, Heyreoun, Inkyu Han, Sheryl McCurdy, Kristina Whitworth, George Delclos, Amal Rammah, and Elaine Symanski. 2020. "The Intercontinental Terminals Chemical Fire Study: A Rapid Response to an Industrial Disaster to Address Resident Concerns in Deer Park, Texas" International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 17, no. 3: 986. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17030986

APA Style

An Han, H., Han, I., McCurdy, S., Whitworth, K., Delclos, G., Rammah, A., & Symanski, E. (2020). The Intercontinental Terminals Chemical Fire Study: A Rapid Response to an Industrial Disaster to Address Resident Concerns in Deer Park, Texas. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(3), 986. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17030986

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