Please note: This is the first update about the recent fire in Spring Branch. I will send out more details as they become available:
On Thursday, May 5, 2016 a fire broke out at a home in Spring Branch near Laverne and Spring Branch Drive. This quickly became a 4-alarm fire when it spread to a neighboring warehouse. The Houston Fire Department did a great job containing the fire and making sure that no one was seriously injured.
As many of you know, the run off from the fire caused the nearby Spring Branch Creek to turn red. Like you, I am extremely frustrated and concerned by this, but please know that the City, State, and Federal governments are working together to do everything possible to mitigate this situation and to make sure that the area is safe.
Tomorrow at Council Session, Mayor Turner is going to give an update about this situation in his Mayor's Report at 9:00 AM. You can watch on the HTV Channel or online here: http://www.houstontx.gov/htv/
Here are some frequently asked questions about the fire and safety moving forward:
1. Is the drinking water safe?
- The City's Public Works & Engineering Department has indicated that the City drinking water in Spring Branch is safe at this time. If you have any questions or concerns, please call 3-1-1.
2. Does the Houston Fire Department (HFD) know what materials were stored at the warehouse?
- The City has a partial list of chemicals that were used and/or stored at the facility. This has been provided by the management of the facility who indicate that this list shows the greatest volume or most flammable items. This was given to HFD while they were in process of fighting the fire. No further information has been provided since that time.
3. What agencies have been involved since the fire occurred?
- Environment Protection Agency (EPA)
- Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ)
- Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD)
- Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD)
- City of Homeland Security
- Houston Fire Department (HFD)
- Houston Police Department (HPD)
- Houston Health and Human Services
- City of Houston Public Works & Engineering (PWE)
4. Who is handling remediation efforts?
- Remediation efforts have been federalized. The EPA is now the lead agency directly responsible for clean-up efforts.
5. What is being done to clean the creek?
- The EPA is going through their proper procedures for remediation. They will continue to work on cleaning the creek until they are sure that no contamination remains.
6. How much of the creek was contaminated?
- As many as 70 workers were performing various containment efforts along the impacted road and waterways. I have been assured that the EPA has contained the contamination to a limited area.
7. Has the air quality been impacted?
- Per the EPA, although odor remains, air quality standards are normal.
8. What is happening to the wildlife in the creek?
- Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) has been relocating impacted wildlife to suitable habitats. TPWD has instructed individuals not to attempt to assist any animals yourself. If you see an animal that needs help, please call Rhonda Murgatroyd, Wildlife Rehabilitation Specialist with the TPWD at 281-705-5897.
If you have any questions or concerns, please either call my office at 832-393-3010, or email us at
districta@houstontx.gov
. I will continue to provide updates as they become available. Please tune in tomorrow (Wednesday, May 11, 2016) for an update by Mayor Turner.
