HOUSTON — Two crewmembers of a tankship in the Galveston Fairway Anchorage were medevaced by a Coast Guard boat crew after the crewmembers had a chemical exposure Sunday.
The crew of the 478-foot Panamanian flagged Siva Rotterdam contacted the Coast Guard and reported exposure of two Indian crewmembers by contact and inhalation to less than 5 ounces of phenol. Sector Houston-Galveston watchstanders deployed a Coast Guard Station Galveston crew aboard a 45-foot Response Boat — Medium, to recover the men.
They reported that the crewmen were attempting to repair or fix a frozen line containing the phenol. The line broke and sprayed one of the men causing a burn or burning feeling. The other man had inhalation exposure and was vomiting.
Hazardous Materials and EMS crews met the men at shore for possible decontamination and transfer to the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston.
Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit Texas City is investigating the incident.
45-foot Response Boat – Medium. Coast Guard file photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Henry G. Dunphy.
