Image provided by: Texas A&M University
About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (June 23, 1997)
The Battalion Monday • June 21M >j ^ Ww ■ Shell plant explosion rocks Houston’s ‘chemical corrida DEER PARK (AP) — An explosion and fire ripped through a Shell Chemical Co. plant in this Houston suburb on Sunday. No serious injuries were reported, but nearby residents were urged to stay in doors as the fire fed by toxic chemicals and gasoline raged on. The explosion at the Shell Oil Co. sub sidiary plant occurred about 10 a.m. in an olefins unit that manufactures propylene, ethylene and benzene, said Shell spokesman Darren Martin. The three light hydrocarbons are the building blocks for a variety of chemical products from plas tics to pharmaceuticals. Authorities said they didn’t know what caused the explosion or fire, which was ex pected to burn into Monday. “We’re allowing the fire to burn out,” Martin said. Shell reported the incident to both En vironmental Protection Agency and the Occupational Safety and Health Adminis tration. The two agencies will conduct sep arate investigations. Trails of the black chemical smoke — which also included fumes from burning gasoline — could be seen from miles away. Shell officials said the burning mixture posed no health risk to area residents. “At this time I don’t know quantities or amounts that were released,” said Martin. “Based on our monitoring data, we have not found high levels of benzene down wind so we’ve assumed it’s being burned up in the fire.” Shell Chemical will continue to moni tor the air surrounding the complex to de termine if the chemicals present a health hazard, officials said. About 50 Shell Chemical Co. and con tract employees were on duty in the unit at the time of the blast. All were account ed for. One worker was treated at a hospi tal for chest pains. Power went out at the plant about eight hours before the explosion, but Martin said investigators didn’t believe the two events were linked. The outage ended and all units were back on line by 7 a.m. Benzene, a known carcinogen, and its vapors can be severely toxic when in haled. It can cause dizziness, headaches and drowsiness. But Martin, the plant’s health and safe ty manager, said the burning amount of benzene was well below the EPA-imposed limit of one part per million over an eight- Deer Part Shell plar: explosion IS UBS— \ Gaivesr Houston^V Say Houston TEXAS\ i MEXICO I. 45 Calves Gull of ■ Mexico 15 01 hour period. “We have quantities way lower! that,” Martin said. Nevertheless, police advised resil I within a mile of the plant to staying £e I State Highway 225 near the plant was! porarUy closed to keep trafficwayfroni area. The toll bridge leading into Deerl and directly in line with the diem smoke plumes — was closed Summit partners embrace Russi Photograph: Rony Angkriwan ^ ^->1 D ^ im S amue, > a professor at Texas A&M Medical School, and his jp00Q KaC0l5 sons, Ryan and Nicholas, roll around campus Sunday morning. DENVER (AP) —World leaders squabbled over global warm ing but ducked a tough stand Sunday as they concluded an his toric summit with Russia’s full participation for the first time. They prodded Middle East nations to resume peace negotiations and denounced human cloning. “We have actually made real progress on problems that matter to our people,” President Clinton said at a wrap-up news conference, hailing cooperation on everything from eco nomic problems to security threats. French President Jacques Chirac, unhappy with Clinton’s resistance to targets for reduc ing greenhouse gases, grumbled that the Unit ed States was “one of the world’s largest polluters.” The president of the 15-nation European Commission said he was “frankly dis appointed” by the outcome. The leaders vowed to reinject momentum into the collapsed Middle East peace process but did not specify any action. “I’m willing to do anything I can to keep this peace process from go- Clinton ing awry,” said Clinton. He said the leaders of Israel andAii states need “to bear down.” Flanked by tlie leaders of Russia, Canada, France, GernH Britain, Italy and Japan, Clinton presented the Summit oil Eight communique at a closing ceremony at the Denver Library. He said “hard work and a spirit of cooperation” vailed at the three-day meeting. “We are stronger because we now have Russia as a partm Clinton said. “The G-8 has become a reality,” Boris Yeltsin sai Commenting on discussions with Chirac, Yeltsin said,“Oni ternational relations, we have absolutely the same view. Whenl speaks, it’s like I was speaking.” Just nine days before China’s takeover of Hong Kongi leaders urged Beijing to maintain the former British coloivj "fundamental freedoms” and to conduct free electionsfoi new legislature soon. In his news conference, Clinton said “we do not wantto some the bad faith of the Chinese.” He said he expected Beij would live up to its agreements. He called on Congress to prove “most favored” trade status with China. ithl Van Continued from Page 1 Barbara J. Quiram, director of administrative services for the Rural Health Initiative at the A&M Health Science Center, gave tours of the van and said the van is made up of three basic compo nents: a general screening room, a patient education room and a dental screening room. “The van is geared toward prevention and education,” Quiram said. The education room has visual aids on topics of interest for young people and families, Quiram said. Pamphlets on smokeless to bacco and immunization hang on the walls. The van also features a puppet show video on immuniza tion that can be shown on the television in the room. But Quiram said what really makes the van unique is its state- of-the-art dental equipment. The dental screening room has a Gen- dex Panoramic, an x-ray machine that digitizes images instead of using film. The images can be transmitted from of the van to the Baylor School of Dentistry, where students can examine them. The van also is equipped with a cellular phone, another phone that can reach the driver and a bathroom. Other features of the van in clude a refrigerator and freezer, water, a microwave, a sound sys tem and an air system that changes the air in the van every three minutes. The van also is ful ly handicap-accessible. Quiram said volunteers and medical, nursing and dentistry students will work in the van. She also said services will be ad ministered with no charge to the patients. Dr. Michael L. Friedland, vice president for health affairs and dean of medicine, said the van is a natural extension of the health education and rural outreach program at A&M. “How do you get to commu nities that don’t have a place for health education?” Fried- land said. Friedland said A&M is the only university in the nation that has a School of Rural Public Health. He also said other medical vans similar to this one service Texas, but they are not dedicated to serving rural areas like this one. He said the van is a cooperative effort by the A&M School of Rur al Public Health, College of Med icine, Agriculture Extension Ser vice and Baylor School of Dentistry. Friedland said the schools of nursing in the A&M University System also will be in volved eventually. Quiram said 203 out of 254 counties in Texas are designated as rural counties. She said the van will start serving rural counties in the Temple area after another dedication ceremony in Temple July 14. Weather Outlook WEDNESDAY Thunderstorms High: 95° Low: 75° THURSDAY FRIDAY Thunderstorms High: 94° Low: 75° Thunderstorms High: 93° Low: 74° Sketeh By Quatr CRISP.. THIS RAW . SUCKS. I'M GOIKG BAREFOOT. DUPE. s4// t / MAN. YOU COULPN'T PAY jTgUYA WHAT .7I'VE GOT : MAN , YOU COOLS)IfT W ME TO WAi_K AEOUNP SOME RAIN SHOES XN MY ME TO WALK AROUNp! 52^5?^, PAYS ' £0 j BACKPACK. WANNA BORROW 'EM? * YOUR SHOES. NO mt / / j I WHAT X COULP LATCH «./, / S FROM YOUR NAPPY or,f MSC Great Issues presents.. The Ethics of Cloning Presenting Dr. Jim Wild Head of the Genetics and Biochemistry Departments Wednesday, June 25th 4 p.m. MSC 206 Persons with disabilities please call 845-1515 to inform us of your special needs. We request notification three (3) working days prior to the event to enable us to assist you to the best of our abilities. PRORTABLE NUMBER! 845-0569 THE BATTALION CLASSIREDS That’s 34c* a day & includes all the benefits of Cable TV TCA CABLE TV VIEWERS ENJOY: • Top cable channels; local news, weather and sports • Additional outlets at no extra monthly charge • One monthly bill; no long-term contracts to sign • No expensive equipment to purchase • Local installation; guaranteed on-time service calls • Upgrade to optional channel packages at any time The Best Entertainment Value In Town! Call today! 846-2229 • Does not include applicable taxes. CABLE TV 4114 E. 29th St. ♦ Bryan, TX Stew Milne, Editor in Chief Helen Clancy, Managing Editor John LeBas, City Editor April Towery, Lifestyles Editor Kristina Buffin, Sports Editor James Francis, Opinion Editor Jody Holley, Night News Editor Tim Moog, Photo Editor Brad Graeber, Graphics Editor Jacqueline Salinas, Radio Editor David Friesenhahn, Web Editor Staff Members Cnv- Assistant Editors: Erica Roy & Matt Weber; Reporters: Michelle Newman, Joey Schlueter & Jenara Kocks; Copy Editor: Jennifer Jones Lifestyles- Rhonda Reinhart, Keith McPhail & Jenny Vrnak Sports- Matt Mitchell & Jeremy Furtick Opinion- John Lemons, Stephen Llano, Robby Ray, Mandy Cater, Leonard Callaway, Chris Brooks, Dan Cone, Jack Harvey & General Franklin Night News- Assistant Editor: Joshua Miller Photo- Derek Demere, Robert McKay, l!o« Angkriwan & Pat James Graphics- Quatro Oakley, Chad MallamS Ed Goodwin Radio- Tiffany Moore, Will Hodges, Missy IW Amy Montgomery, Sunny Pemberton, Joey Schlueter, Michelle Snyder & Karina Trevino Web- Craig Pauli Office Staff- Stacy Labay, Christy ClowdusS Mandy Cater News: The Battalion news department is managed by students at Texas A&M University in the Division of 51$' Publications, a unit of the Department of Journalism. News offices are in 013 Reed McDonald Building, phone: 845-3313; Fax: 845-2647; E-mail: Batt@tamvml.tamu.edu; Website: http://bat-web.tamu.edu Advertising; Publication of advertising does not imply sponsorship or endorsement by The Battalion. For#' pus, local, and national display advertising, call 845-2696. For classified advertising, call 845-0569.Advert^ offices are in 015 Reed McDonald, and office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Fax: 845-2^ Subscriptions: A part of the Student Services Fee entitles each Texas A&M student to pick up a si The Battalion. Mail subscriptions are $20 per semester, $40 per school year and $50 per full year. Visa, MasterCard, Discover, or American Express, call 845-2611. The Battalion (ISSN #1055-4726) is published daily, Monday through Friday during the fall spring semester* Monday through Thursday during the summer session (except University holidays and exam periods)^ A&M University. Second class postage paid at College Station, TX 77840. Postmaster: Send address cl# The Battalion, 015 Reed McDonald Building, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-1111