Some residents of the southeast Texas port city of Texas City were ordered to shelter in place on Sunday morning after a toxic sulfur dioxide release by the Marathon Galveston Bay Refinery.
City officials assured shelter in place order was issued “out of an abundance of caution,” and that “no residential areas” were “affected” by the chemical release. There are “no air monitoring readings that indicate danger to life or health,” officials said.
“Avoid driving through the area. If you are in the affected area, please remain indoors with all doors and windows closed, and turn off your heat or A/C until further notice,” town officials advised shortly after 9 am Sunday.
Marathon Petroleum Corp, the company that owns the afflicted refinery, said in a statement that company personnel were “responding to an operational upset that has led to a temporary increase in sulfur dioxide emissions” and that “there have been no injuries.”
The shelter in place order was lifted at about 1 pm local time. “All air monitoring readings in the affected areas and throughout the city are normal. We will continue to monitor the situation closely,” City officials promised.
Sulfur dioxide is a colorless gas with a characteristically pungent smell. Exposure to the gas may result in irritation to the eyes, nose and throat, choking, and coughing. Prolonged exposure to high concentrations can lead to death from airway obstruction. Sulfur dioxide is one of a handful of pollutants of concern which global health authorities believe to be the cause of millions of premature deaths each year.