The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality is responding to the Tule Lake Channel Fire following an explosion when a barge struck a pipeline carrying propane at about 8 a.m. Friday.
Agency personnel are coordinating with local first responders, local officials, and state and federal partners, including the U.S. Coast Guard and representatives of the Texas General Land Office, to assist with emergency response on site of the fire, near Nueces Bay in the northern part of the city.
The Coast Guard has closed a portion of the Corpus Christi Ship Channel Inner Harbor, prohibiting vessels from entering the safety zone without permission.
TCEQ and its contractors are conducting off-site air monitoring in the surrounding area and have not noted any levels of concern at this time.
TCEQ’s Rapid Assessment Survey Van has been mobilized to support the agency’s air monitoring efforts. The Rapid Assessment Survey Van can continuously take air samples while driving and report the data real time to the monitoring team.
Since this is still an active emergency response event, TCEQ’s role is to assist and coordinate with local, state and federal governmental agencies. Though the fire has been contained, Corpus Christi and local fire departments remain on site as needed.
