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Nov. 14--A gas leak at a Port of Brownsville business today injured one worker, caused the evacuation of seven companies in the area and released about 57,000 gallons of propane into the air, officials said.
Emergency personnel, including Brownsville Fire, Police, Cameron County Emergency Management and a HazMat team, responded around 9 a.m. and worked to fix a valve leak in a propane storage tank at TransMontaigne, a company that transports and stores petroleum and chemical products.
After nearly five hours of working on the valve throughout the blustery day, crews contained the leak, but the full tank of gas was released into the environment, Brownsville Fire Chief Lenny Perez said.
"We still have a danger zone," Perez said at an afternoon press conference, noting that the gas is highly flammable.
Officials closed Highway 48 from FM 511 to Highway 100 during the leak, but have since reopened.
He said the roads will open when authorities determine the area was safe, which he said could take several hours.
The leak started in one propane tank, filled with 57,000 gallons, that connected with three others. The tanks hold about 90,000 gallons of gas each when full, he said.
Workers eventually were able to shut off the valve that connected the four tanks, so that only the one tank leaked its contents.
The injured worker was transported to the hospital after part of the valve struck him when it ruptured, Perez said. He said he did not have details on the man's condition, but he was coherent after the incident.
Port of Brownsville spokesman Manuel Ortiz said the seven businesses evaculated are part of the port's north sector.
