Document BynxwZx7xm0y9175emyxZZqNo

TO: R. C. Isham -- BIND J. E. McKee -- A3NB J. T. Nolan -- DIA STATUS REPORT ON STURGEON, MO. DERAILMENT -- 2:00 p.m., 1/11/79* A chartered plane with air monitoring equipment from the . Krummrich Plant was enroute to Columbia, Mo. to help analyze the air at the site of a chemical derailment at Sturgeon, Mo. Joe Wolfsberger, an industrial hygienist, and Frank Basile, an "environTtrentai specialist, were on the plane. The~team will offer to take air samples and to fly the samples back to our laboratory at Krummrich for analysisThey will join Phil Kirk and Joe Starzak, also from the Krummrich Plant, and Bob Neunreiter, MCI-PR, who arrived at the scene earlier today. The report from the scene is that the tankcar which is believed to be practically empty, has been moved away. The chlorophenol leaked out on the road bed of the railroad. It is thought that the frozen ground probably would inhibit the liquid from seeping deeply into the ground. The Norfolk and Western railroad has environmental consultants on the scene to direct the cleanup. The Monsanto people are on hand to act ,in an advisory capacity. It is thought that at this point it would be best to neutralize the chemical with caustic acid, to excavate the affected area, to put the earth in drums and then transport the drummed mate rial to an appropriate disposal site. The evacuation of the entire town of some 800 people is still in effect. The people are being directed to churches, schools, and other public buildings as a precautionary measure. John J. Spano -- MCI-PR cc: F . E . Reese W. A. Blase E. N. Brasfield M. Dmytryszyn R. W. Flint C. P. Farley M. A. Pierle J. R. Thurrott it 7 C00603