From Emergency Operations Center
A chemical leak occurred Friday, March 7, at a Roehm USA facility in Matagorda County due to a PSV valve failure on a brine chiller. The incident led to the release of ammonia into the atmosphere.
At no time was there any danger to the public, and the plant’s safety systems operated as designed to mitigate potential risks, said Matagorda County Public Information Officer Mitch Thames.
Local authorities, including county personnel, were on-site, closely monitoring the situation, and were in continuous communication with Roehm USA’s response team, Thames said.
The exposure resulted in an undetermined number of employees being affected.
The company shared with the county that, as a precaution, affected employees were being evaluated for breathing issues, while the rest “were taken off-site for precautionary medical evaluations,” Thames said.
At the time, Thames said two ambulances remained on-site, though no additional transportation was required. County emergency responders continued to monitor the situation closely to ensure safety and support as needed.
Roehm USA expressed gratitude for the prompt response of local emergency personnel and is fully cooperating with authorities to ensure the health and safety of its employees and the community.
The facility’s emergency systems activated as intended, and no further risks are anticipated, Thames said.
Matagorda County officials remained in communication with Rohm USA, and assistance was offered as needed.
The number one goal of the Matagorda County Emergency Operations Center (EOC) is the health and safety of our residents and our visitors.
To achieve this goal, we monitor all aspects of a situation and effectively communicate the activities that our citizens need to protect themselves.