Tank rail cars, which could be used to carry gas or liquid loads (Photo by David McNew/Getty Images)
David McNew/Getty Images
Fewer than 24 hours after a major gas leak in Orange County left individuals sheltering in place without air conditioning, stranded some from their homes and sent others to the hospital, the first lawsuits have been filed.
On Thursday afternoon, a rail car at the Eagle Rail Site on Foreman Road conducted a controlled flaring operation that released ethyl acrylate and caused individuals in West Orange, Bridge City and Orangefield to shelter in place without air conditioning and blocking air from coming in for six hours.
Friday morning, Brent Coon
& Associates law firm filed the first of a number of lawsuits dealing with the situation, according to a news release from the firm. The suit also included a temporary restraining order signed District Court Judge Courtney Arkeen to prevent anyone from tampering with or destroying any evidence affiliated with the incident and to provide access to professional inspections of the site and equipment for causation determinations.
“This is yet another in the continuing saga of highly volatile and carcinogenic (cancer causing) products being dumped, leaked, vented or spilled into our local environment," lead counsel and founder of Brent Coon & Associates Brent Coon said in the release. "It happens with tragic regularity and goes unnoticed unless it results in a catastrophic situation where scores of people are
rushed to the hospital or are ordered to stay inside homes with no air conditioning, often in 100 decree heat for hours or days at a time."
Ethyl acrylate is used in manufacturing water-based latex paints and adhesives, textile and paper coatings, leather finish resins and in the production of acrylic fibers.
“The product involved in this leak is known to be highly toxic and causes breathing problems, nose and eye irritation, and other adverse health effects, and is registered with the U.S. Government as a probable carcinogen, meaning that it can cause cancer," Coon said in the release. "Numerous animal studies in the past with this product have confirmed those findings. Anyone exposed should at least go to a local physician for follow up and health
monitoring.”
The release states that the firm is early into investigations regarding why the railcar leaked, who owned the railcar, why it was at Eagle Railcar Services and the length of the situation before individuals were told to take precautions.
According to the release, the case is filed in the 163rd District Court with Judge Rex Peverto.
