Broken Pipe Causes Precautionary Evacuation in Freeport

FREEPORT, Texas - Freeport officials have called for the evacuation of several dozen homes near a Dow Chemical facility after a leaky pipe was found on company property.

A spokeswoman for Dow says the urethane chemical leak was found on Sunday and was limited to company grounds with air monitoring beginning immediately. Soon after, company representatives went door-to-door to notify nearby residents of which homes had to evacuate so repair work could begin.

The city says there was never an immediate threat to the public.

Select neighborhoods have been asked to leave for three to five days beginning Wednesday morning as repairs are made to the pipeline, and Dow says they will pay for residents' hotel costs. Affected areas include Zapota, Avenue R, and Terry Streets.

Officials say the evacuation is just a precaution in the event more chemical is released as repair crews work.

The leaked chemical is commonly used in the manufacturing of mattresses and furniture.