Authorities reported on Friday that approximately 1 million gallons of sulfuric acid leaked into the Houston Ship Channel from an industrial facility in Harris County, Texas, prompting an emergency response that sent two people to a hospital and raised concerns about potential environmental impacts.
Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo said first responders and hazardous materials teams arrived at the scene shortly after the leak occurred and coordinated with local, state and federal agencies to secure the area and assess risks.
Officials said medical personnel treated two individuals exposed during the incident at a nearby hospital and released them after evaluation.
Judge Hidalgo said preliminary assessments indicated that the greatest impact from the sulfuric acid release could affect the surrounding environment, including water quality and marine life in the Houston Ship Channel.
Environmental crews began containment and mitigation efforts at the facility and in the channel, taking water and air samples to determine the extent of contamination, according to county officials.
Regulatory agencies initiated an investigation into the cause of the leak and the facility’s compliance with safety and environmental regulations.
Officials advised nearby industrial operators and maritime traffic to follow safety directives and coordinate with the incident command while response operations continued.
County emergency management officials said they would provide additional public information as sampling results became available and as investigators gathered more details about the incident timeline and facility operations.