Thursday, January 9, a chemical spill into the Elk River led both state and federal government officials to declare a state of emergency for much of the southwest region of West Virginia. The contaminated public water supply has affected nine counties. This leaves about 300,000 residents and customers without safe drinking water, or even water for laundry and showers. Residents in these counties have been cautioned to avoid using tap water for anything except for flushing toilets and putting out fires.
The chemical that got into the water supply, 4-methylcyclohexane methanol, is a foaming agent that plays a part in coal preparation. It seeped out of a Freedom Industries tank and spilled over into the Elk River in Charleston. The chemical emits an odor that smells like licorice or cough syrup, and this smell invaded the capital city, so much so that the state's legislature closed down. Stores and restaurants in the capital were closed as well. School was cancelled in at least five counties. No hospital shutdowns were reported as of Friday morning, and a government spokesman said that hospitals and other medical centers "seemed to have adequate water supply, at least for the short term."
According to one news source, the company did not report the incident. Air-quality officials from the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection sounded the alarm when they came across the spill. Freedom Industries said that it would give a statement later on Friday. This company manufactures chemicals that are used in cement, mining, and steel industries.
The president of West Virginia American Water has said that the chemical is not lethal. The exact danger posed by the contamination is not yet known, as the concentration and amount of the chemical spill is yet to be determined. This chemical is far from harmless, however. According to data from Fisher Scientific, the foaming agent can be dangerous if it is swallowed or inhaled, and it can irritate the eyes and skin. As Friday morning, no illness or injuries were reported from this incident.
Local stores in those counties were swamped by customers stocking up on bottled water. According to the USA TODAY report, a Sam's Club sold all 4,200 cases of bottled water in the store in one hour and a half. Workers reported that there was no water to be found in stores within a radius of 20 miles. In one county, the sheriff's office said that they fielded several emergency calls for fights sparked over this disappearing resource. As a precaution then, patrols were stationed around the perimeter of convenience stores. Bottled water had to be transported over from Maryland on Friday and handed out by West Virginia National Guard troops. Seventy-five tractor-trailers drove the bottled water from a Federal Emergency Management Agency site to West Virginia. The water was transported from Martinsburg by a C-130 cargo aircraft.
Details are still coming in, and it is yet to be determined what officially caused this chemical spill to happen. While no injuries have been reported as of yet, this industrial accident had the potential to affect thousands of families and individuals. When chemicals, pesticides, or drugs make even the home or drinking water a threat to safety, it is possible that any individuals harmed by these hazardous substances would be entitled to compensation through a toxic tort. If you or someone you know has been exposed to a toxic substance or chemical, then you may be able to file a claim. Find out the strength of your claim and what it could be worth when you consult a personal injury attorney on our directory today.