CHANNELVIEW, Texas – People who live near a Channelview chemical plant say they noticed a strange, metallic smell Saturday morning. They called KPRC 2 News when firefighters on-scene at the K-Solv chemical plant wouldn’t tell them what was causing the smell.
Investigative reporter Amy Davis drove to the plant to get more information. K-Solv’s Director of Environmental, Health, Safety & Security Mike Sopczak emailed Davis the following statement:
“Today at approximately 1300-1330 hours a tote containing a product used in everyday perfume and personal care products began to react from moisture in the atmosphere and direct sunlight.
As Ksolv Personnel became aware of the situation, they activated our Emergency Response Team. At about the same time the Fire Department and HazMat Teams began responding. Ksolv personnel quickly confined the spilled material inside the containment area while as a precautionary measure, the Fire Department began using water fog to suppress the odor. Fire Department and HazMat personnel conducted air monitoring in the neighborhood behind the release area. The authorities involved informed us that the levels were safe. No injuries were reported. The incident has been stabilized, the Fire Department and HazMat teams have left the scene.
K-Solv is conducting an internal investigation."
Neighbors left in the dark
“There was nobody telling people what was going on,” Raquel Garcia told reporter Amy Davis. “I’m concerned, like.. cause I have kids too.”
Garcia lives just across the street from the K-Solv plant. She kept her children inside, while she looked online for any news of what was happening.
Another neighbor took video of the vapors. He described a metallic smell that made his throat itch that he said started sometime Saturday morning. He tried to talk with the firefighters on-scene, but got little information.
History of fires and emissions
K-Solv neighbors say a history of events that are hazardous to their health and the environment have them on edge.
- In April 2021, black smoke billowed from a massive fire at K-Solv, forcing surrounding residents to evacuate.
- In 2022, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality fined the company $11,413 for failure to prevent unauthorized emissions.
- And Public Health Watch, a non-profit investigative news organization, revealed people living near the plant have been breathing in dangerous levels of cancer-causing benzene for 20 years.
“I do get scared to live so close and not know what happened because i have kids and it’s concerning,” Garcia told Davis.
State Senator Carol Alvarado is also concerned. Alvarado tells KPRC 2 she is introducing legislation next session to require K-Solv and other chemical plants to tell local fire departments exactly what chemicals are on-site, to require more fence line monitoring for leaks and to increase penalties for illegal emissions.
