Shelter in place order lifted by Orange Co. Emergency Management

Published 8:57 pm Thursday, July 18, 2024

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The shelter in place order affecting West Orange, Bridge City and Orangefield has been lifted according to a press release from Orange County Emergency Management.

The release said following rigorous testing and continuous air quality monitoring, the unified command of all agencies involved determined there are no longer detectable levels of ethyl acrylate in the affected area. As a result, the shelter in place order has been lifted.

“We sincerely appreciate the patience and cooperation shown by all citizens throughout this event,” Orange County Judge John Gothia said. “Our priority remains the safety and protection of our community, and we commend everyone for their resilience and understanding.”

A comprehensive report with details of the ethyl acrylate release incident will be released by the Environmental Protection Agency within the next 24 hours. This report will be available on the EPA website and shared to the Orange County Emergency Management Facebook page.

The shelter in place was initially ordered around 1:14 p.m. July 18 following the controlled flaring of ethyl acrylate from a railcar at Eagle Railcar Services in Orange.