Fact Sheet

Magnablend Central Plant: Fire and Explosions
Chemical Blending Facility

When: 10:30 AM October 3, 2011 (fire smoldered for several days)

Where:
Waxahachie, Texas 1600 block of U.S. Highway 287, (35 miles south of Dallas, Texas)
Population 21,426, 2000 census, County seat of Ellis County.

What:
Over 225,000 lbs of Tier II hazardous chemicals in addition to over 80 hazardous chemicals of unknown quantities which included bulk pesticides and heavy metal constituents consumed in fire. Multiple explosions, fire took six hours to contain.

Why:
During chemical blending operations inside the facility operators reported a runaway reaction where an unknown ignition source ignited flammable vapors.

Emergency Responders:
Waxahachie, Ennis, Red Oak, Ovilla, Lancaster, DeSoto and Midlothian Fire Departments, EPA, TCEQ, East Texas EMS, Ellis County Sheriff's Office, TxDPS, Navarro County College Police Department, American Red Cross and fire engine from the American Eurocopter plant in Arlington, National Guard 6th Civil Support Team (CST)
($1.2 million dollar ladder truck from Ennis Fire Department was lost in fire)

On-Scene-Coordinator:
Nicolas Brescia EPA Region VI arrived onsite at approximately 1245 hours October 3, 2011

Logistics:
American Red Cross, Chick-Fil-A, and Waxahachie Bible Church provided food, ice and water to emergency personnel

Evacuations:
Navarro Community College, Wedgeforth Elementary School, Solon Street Apartments Complex, Covenant Place Senior Citizens Facility.
EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED CIVIL EMERGENCY MESSAGE (12:07 PM)
Evacuation order was lifted at 5:00 pm.
(Over 1,000 residents evacuated during incident)

Shelter-In-Place:
Southwestern Assemblies of God University. Northern Ellis Emergency Dispatch advisory (12:12pm) Cities of Midlothian, Ovilla and Red Oak. Midlothian ISD

Institutional Precautions:
Waxahachie ISD canceled all activities. Lighthouse for Learning classes canceled. Southwestern Assemblies of God canceled classes and Waxahachie Youth Baseball canceled all evening games.

Mitigation Actions:
Local Emergency Response Stakeholders (LEPC) had no prior knowledge in the identity of over 100 hazardous chemicals consumed in the fire. EPA, TCEQ and CST initiated air monitoring at 2:00 PM. At 4:09pm following the results of real-time air monitoring of VOC’s and PM, EPA  declared air was safe

Local Emergency Response Committee Stakeholders (LEPC):

• Elected state and local officials
• Local environmental groups
• Transportation groups
• Broadcast and print media
• Law enforcement
• Emergency Management Personnel
• Emergency Medical Personnel
• Hospital Personnel
• Fire-Fighters
• Health Officials
• Community Groups

Community Health Effects:
Many residents suffering acute and chronic health effects following the incident have sought medical treatment from hospital and primary medical care providers. Family pets have also visited veterinarians. Unsubstantiated reports of livestock mortality (chickens)

Attachments:

Magnablend Tier 2 Chemical Report

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