(The Associated Press circulated the following article on August 27.)
DOVER, Del. — A voluntary evacuation notice was issued Saturday morning for people living in 44 homes near a railroad tanker car that released a hazardous chemical the night before, sickening 23 people.
The notice, which affected houses within 1,500 feet of the railroad car, was issued because the pressure inside the car, carrying styrene, could be increasing, said Jamie Turner, director of the Delaware Emergency Management Agency.
“We don’t expect anything to happen, but we want to err on the side of safety,” Turner said.
No chemicals had been released since around midnight Friday, Turner said. The cause of the release was unknown.
The car is parked at the Dow Reichhold Specialty Latex plant, which was evacuated Friday.