A gas leak from a barge docked at the Targa Resources facility in Galena Park led to community alerts and a temporary shutdown of the Houston Ship Channel on Tuesday afternoon.
The leak occurred around 4 pm at 12510 American Petroleum Road, where a barge owned by Kirby Inland Marine was docked.
The company informed local media that the leak happened due to a broken valve on the barge, which caused the release of butadiene gas into the air.
Butadiene is a colorless, highly flammable gas used in the production of plastics and synthetic rubber, such as car tires.
It is classified by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a carcinogen and can irritate the lungs if inhaled.
Fortunately, the gas breaks down quickly in the atmosphere, which helps reduce its long-term impact.
Officials confirmed that the vapor release was stopped by 10 pm the same day.
Emergency response teams, including a Port Houston
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