UPDATE SATURDAY @ 9:30PM:
From the Associated Press:
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- A state Department of Environmental Protection official says weather that trapped emissions from American Electric Power's John Amos plant close to the ground may explain the smelly, blue haze that blanketed parts of the Kanawha Valley.
DEP's John Benedict said Saturday that tests shows sulphur oxide and nitrous oxide levels rose about the time people noticed the haze Friday. Both are byproducts of burning coal. Benedict says the levels didn't exceed health standards.
Benedict says DEP suspects weather trapped the emissions lower than usual, creating the haze.
AEP spokesman Phil Moye says nothing says the power plant caused the haze. But if it contributed, Moye says the company wants to make sure it doesn't happen again.
UPDATE SATURDAY @ 2:08PM:
The blue haze Friday appears to have been captured by NASA satellites. Click on the image to the left to see a larger image of the Kanawha Valley at 1:35pm.
Click here to view a wider image. (Note: 500k image may take some time to load, depending on internet connection). The Kanawha Valley is marked with a red box.
UPDATE SATURDAY @ 1:14PM:
Here is the latest information released by Metro 911
The blue haze and chlorine smell that hung over the region Friday has
lifted, and test results indicate pollutants normally in the air coupled
with atmospheric conditions caused the problem, officials said.
State emergency and air quality officials were monitoring air samples
until 1 a.m. today, while Kanawha County emergency officials staffed
its emergency operations center.
Callers in the region began calling Metro 911 in the early afternoon
Friday, reporting a blue haze with a strong smell of chlorine. Metro 911
received no reports of acute distress as a result of the situation.
Officials continue to monitor the situation.
UPDATE SATURDAY @ 9:22AM:
Saturday morning Metro 911 dispatchers told WSAZ that tests overnight on that mysterious blue haze came back negative.
Dispatchers said crews with the state's emergency response team found nothing dangerous in the air in Kanawha County.
UPDATE @ 7:58PM:
Dale Petry, the emergency services director for Kanawha County, says emergency response teams are setting up at different places around the county to monitor the haze & smell. He's hoping special equipment on the response trucks will be able to help identify what is causing it.
Petry also confirms that county emergency officials went up in a helicopter Friday with DEP officials to see if the source of the haze can be pinpointed -- but they didn't find anything conclusive.
According to Petry, firefighters went to chemical plants in the valley and set up monitoring systems -- and no traces of any leaks were detected.
Right now: Petry says there is almost no wind, causing the cloud to stay put. He adds, though, that it is moving north slightly toward Sissonville.
UPDATE @ 4:40PM:
This information is from Metro 911:
AS OF THIS TIME...METRO 911 HAS NOT RECEIVED ANY REPORTS OF PEOPLE EXPERIENCING ACUTE DISTRESS FROM CONTACT WITH THIS UNKNOWN SUBSTANCE.
METRO 911 STILL HAS NOT BEEN NOTIFIED OF THE SOURCE OR ORIGIN...AND NO ONE HAS NOTIFIED METRO 911 THAT THEY HAVE HAD A LEAK OR RELEASE.
AS SUCH...EMERGENCY OFFICIALS ARE NOT ADVISING A FORMAL SHELTER IN PLACE...BUT IT IS NOT RECOMMENDED TO VOLUNTARILY PROLONG EXPOSURE BECAUSE THE SUBSTANCE IS STILL UNKNOWN.
Metro 911 is advising people in Kanawha County to go indoors if you are affected by the mysterious blue haze and chlorine smell.
Commissioner Kent Carper says people in Kanawha County should stay indoors if they feel affected by the haze -- and call 911 if you are feeling sick. He adds that the haze has been reported as far west as Putnam County.
Carper initially told WSAZ that a shelter in place was issued, but has since said that is not the case. He says the fact that the haze is a mystery is what is prompting the county to issue a warning.
Carper says Dow reported a tanker car leaking earlier in the day, but he said officials don't know if it's connected with the blue haze.
The Kanawha County EOC has been activated, according to Carper, who is also the President of the Kanawha County Metro 911 board.
WIND REPORT FROM TONY CAVALIER:
There is virtually no wind and that will continue this eve.
That means there will be a higher concentration of the gas/haze over smaller area than if we had a wind blowing the haze affecting a larger area with a smaller concentration.
What is likely happening, the gas is warmer than the air is rising and spreading outward due a process known as diffusion.
What is diffusion? The spreading out of a gas in all directions regardless of wind speed, direction.
Dispatchers earlier told us they've checked with Dow and Bayer, and those companies say they've had no leaks.
A caller to WSAZ says she saw a blue cloud headed toward her house just off Corridor G.
Dale Petry, Kanawha County Emergency Services Director says crews are trying to track the source of the haze -- and that it's dissipating as quickly as it appeared. Petry says he doesn't know what the chemical is, but says it has a chlorine-like smell.
Anyone wanting additional information about the mystery haze should call (304) 746-8749.
Stay with WSAZ.com for more information.
Here is the news release issued by Metro 911 at 3:48pm:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Metro 911 reports haze and chlorine smell over Charleston and South Charleston
Officials advise if you are in distress, stay inside and do not hesitate to call 911 for help
Metro 911 of Kanawha County is reporting a haze and strong chlorine smell in the Charleston and South Charleston area.
Metro 911 has received dozens of calls from the public, starting around 1:15 p.m. today and continuing at this hour.
Industrial sources of hazardous materials are required to notify Metro 911 when they have a leak or release of such product. At this time, Metro 911 has not received any notification. Metro 911 and emergency managers have contacted all chemical facilities in the region and none report any lost product.
As a result, emergency officials do not know the source of the smell or what the product is or its origin. Following established protocols, emergency officials have activated the Emergency Operations Center and are tracking the location of the calls.
The public is being advised that if you are in any form of distress, stay inside and do not hesitate to call 911 for help. Extra ambulances are on standby as a precaution.
The EOC will stand open to assess and monitor this situation until officials are assured there is no danger.
For more information, call EOC personnel at 746-8743.
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