Texas Sue , hope you are all right. Not sure what part of Texas you live. Watching the Chem fire.

Mary, I just saw your post and signing on. I live about 20-30 minutes directly north of Dallas, Texas. I just came in from work so didn't know about a chem fire. Where is it burning now?

The Magnablend chemical plant in Waxahatchie, Texas, where a raging fire broke out this morning, processes tons of toxics, and uses large amounts of anhydrous ammonia, which is caustic, hazardous and can cause breathing problems, according to the Environmental Protection Agency's risk management plan.

The plant, about 30 miles north of Dallas, also is listed as a pesticide producer, and mixes or produces chemicals used in agriculture and the petroleum industry, including fluids for hydraulic fracturing (the most common of which are benzene, toluene, xylene and ethylbenzene).

Nearby facilities include two other agricultural chemical plants.

Here is a list of chemicals released or transferred at the plant, in pounds, by year, according to the EPA:



COPPER COMPOUNDS

















5





CERTAIN GLYCOL ETHERS















250

250





ZINC COMPOUNDS

5

5









800

35

250





FORMIC ACID

















250





METHANOL

40

40

45

45

45

45

2,412

1,680







ETHYLENE GLYCOL

1

1

1







8,700

5

505





DAZOMET

















250





AMMONIA


The plant is located in the Upper Trinity watershed, which has reported contaminants in fish tissue, including chlordane, a chemical formerly used in pesticides, and PCBs, according to the EPA.

More information on the Magnablend chemical plant in Texas.

BPA ban passes California state Senate

Pesticide exposure linked to prostate cancer

High levels of toxic PBDE found in pregnant California women

How horrible, and scary! Waxahachie is about 30 miles south of Dallas, so about 50 miles south of me. That is not far with regard to wind and things carried in the air so it is possible that the chemicals in the air will pollute Dallas, Ennis (just north east about 20 miles), Corsicana, Ft Worth, and even towns south of there - Waco, Hillsboro, Killeen, Italy, Itasca, Tours, West, Abbott. May God cover us with His wings of protection, especially the children and the elderly. Thanks Mary!

Here is an article I just found:

http://www.denverpost.com/nationworld/ci_19030102?source=rss

You can always come here to southeastern Oklahoma, Texas Sue, if it gets to be too dangerous down there in Dallas.

Oh Sue ! I am so sorry. On the video feed it showed the blackest sky ever! Praying for you . Lets us know how things go.

Texas Sue, I hope you are OK. Have no clue what's going. haven't been watching the news

I found a news article with a video taken by someone in a helicopter that shows how fast the fire spread. When you open the link there is a photo, then the news article and at the bottom a short video. Horrible black billowing smoke and orange flames, makes you think of the sudden destrucion coming when we leave earth.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/03/magnablend-chemical-plant-burns-waxahachie-texas_n_992537.html

This article is, I think, the most recent showing the fire almost out but smoldering. People who had been evacuated are being allowed to return home; however, the school district has canceled all football practices or anything else that would happen outside due to the air pollution.

http://www.waxahachietx.com/news/waxahachie/magnablend-fire-continues-to-smolder/article_fd193e18-edfe-11e0-b827-001cc4c002e0.html

Horrible black billowing smoke ...Texas Sue you are so right about horrible black smoke. I have seen other chemical fires...usually white gray clouds like a heavy smog or burning tons of leaves like we do in Pa. come fall. Never have I ever seen a fire so black in color as this one was.