(The following story by Kevin Cole and Jonathon Braden appeared on the Omaha World-Herald website on May 29.)
OMAHA, Neb. — South Omaha residents chased from their neighborhood by a chemical spill Wednesday night returned to their homes Thursday after fire officials declared the area safe.
Assistant Omaha Fire Chief Joe Gibilisco said no injuries were reported from the spill, which led to the evacuation of about 100 houses close to the railroad yards near 13th Street and Missouri Avenue.
“We had a pretty good plan, with police cruisers and medic units moving through the neighborhood,” Gibilisco said.
Joe Faust, a spokesman for the BNSF Railway Co., said between 300 and 600 gallons of hydrochloric acid escaped from a 20,000-gallon tanker. The remaining material in the tanker was transferred to another container, Faust said.
A railroad employee discovered the leak about 5 p.m. and alerted management, which alerted Omaha fire and police officials, Faust said.
Officials evacuated an area bordered by Mid City Avenue to the north, I Street to the south and 13th Street to the Missouri River. The area included Rosenblatt Stadium, where an Omaha Royals baseball game was under way, and the Henry Doorly Zoo.
Residents of a larger area were told to stay indoors. That area was west of 13th Street, south of Interstate 80, east of 24th Street and north of Missouri Avenue. Some people from that area also left their homes.
Evacuated residents were taken to the southeast police precinct at 25th Street and Deer Park Boulevard, where the Red Cross and Burlington Northern railroad personnel found them places to stay, Gibilisco said.
Gibilisco said two firefighters in hazardous material suits were joined by a railroad employee in plugging the leak. It was stopped by 8 p.m., he said.
Firefighters knocked on the door at Elizabeth Robbins’ house near 12th and J Streets about 6:45 p.m. Wednesday and told her family they needed to get out.
Robbins, her boyfriend, her four young children and her grandmother went to her grandmother’s home near Fifth Street and Poppleton Avenue. She said she thought they would be able to return in a few hours.
“We didn’t really pack or anything,” said Robbins, 29.
At her grandmother’s, Robbins kept calling the southeast police precinct to see whether they could return home. She later learned they wouldn’t be able to get back until today, so they checked into a Comfort Inn for $93.17.
Robbins said her children, who are 1, 2, 6 and 8 years old, appear to be OK.
A claims center was set up today through Saturday at the southeast precinct, Faust said. The railroad will reimburse people for food, lodging, transportation or other expenses caused by the leak, he said.
The investigation into the leak was continuing, but it may have been caused by equipment failure, Faust said. The incident will be reported to the Federal Railroad Administration. The rail car did not appear to have been tampered with, he said.
He said the railroad dispatched hazardous material and environmental teams to Omaha to clean up the spill. The cleanup was completed by 6 a.m.
“There was absolutely no threat to the community,” Faust said. “The spill was quickly contained and there were no problems with the cleanup.”
Hydrochloric acid is used in the production of chlorides, fertilizers and dyes; in electroplating; and in the photographic, textile and rubber industries.
Symptoms of exposure to hydrochloric acid include a burning sensation on the skin or in the lungs, he said.
On Saturday in Lafayette Parish, La., a six-car BNSF train derailment caused a hydrochloric acid leak that triggered the evacuations of thousands of people within a mile of the wreck.
At Rosenblatt, about 1,000 people were attending the Royals game against the Oklahoma RedHawks when it was suspended after four innings. The nine-inning contest was to be completed today starting at 4:30 p.m. and be followed by a seven-inning game.
Wednesday evening, about 13 friends and relatives of the Dellutri family, who live in the 5200 block of South 13th, grilled ribs and enjoyed monkey bread on the back porch.
“I don’t think anybody is too worried,” said Chuck Dellutri.
Said his father, Bob: “The sewer smells worse than this.”
The animals at the zoo were doing well and most were inside for the night, said Danny Morris, assistant zoo director.
Students who were camping on the zoo’s grounds were evacuated, Morris said.