Eastman investigating steam line rupture

 

This story courtesy the Kingsport Times-News

Picture courtesy WJHL-TV

KINGSPORT — What sounded like “whirring” or a “jet engine” for some Kingsport residents on Tuesday evening was a steam line rupture at Eastman Chemical Co.

A three-inch steam line ruptured at the company’s Kingsport site Tuesday evening a little after 5 p.m., causing a “rapid, audible release” of steam into the atmosphere, the company said in a statement to Six Rivers Media on Wednesday evening.

Eastman said the steam stopped venting into the atmosphere around 8 p.m., and after that other lower pressure systems continued to vent “as intended and needed for process purposes” until about 10:30 a.m. Wednesday.

A facility that has permits to operate by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation is not required to notify the department if the facility only experiences a steam release, said TDEC spokesperson Jennifer Donnals.

She also said TDEC is “aware and monitoring the situation” and has not been notified by Eastman.

Kingsport has a standard protocol for events that would activate the Kingsport Emergency Operations Center (EOC), said Kingsport Communications Specialist Matthew Lane. When the EOC is activated the city notifies residents through Hyper-Reach, a mass notification system that sends texts and emails about “important” events happening in the community to residents and visitors. Lane said Hyper-Reach is used if there is a safety concern.

Emergency events are also posted to the Kingsport Alerts Facebook page. Information about the steam rupture Tuesday evening was posted to the Kingsport Alerts Facebook page.

“When an event doesn’t rise to the level of EOC activation, the city is at the mercy of the industrial facility for receiving information,” Lane said. “Sometimes the city receives info at the same time as local media. When that information is received we will post it on our Kingsport Alerts Facebook page.”

Kingsport Fire Department Public Information Officer Barry Brickey said his department responded for a mutual aid standby Tuesday evening but was released not long after. Eastman said it is standard safety protocol for the KFD to be on standby if resources are needed in addition to Eastman’s own fire and emergency response team.

“We take these events very seriously,” Eastman said in a statement. “When an event like this occurs, we conduct a detailed investigation to ensure we understand fully what occurred and what actions need to be taken to prevent recurrence.”

Big Boom in Riverview and Kingsport

 

With Bays Mountain at the top, Riverview is at the far right, to the right of the large smoke plum

KINGSPORT, Tenn. --- A reported steam release in the form of a big "BOOM" at Eastman Chemical Company was heard by many in the Kingsport area Tuesday night.  Your Douglass website received several emails and one phone call about it.

The boom that was heard was confirmed by Eastman Corporate Communications Manager Tracy Kilgore Addington to the Kingsport Times-News.

City of Kingsport Public Information & Communications Director Adrienne Batara said Eastman contacted the city Tuesday evening regarding the steam release and the company reported there is no risk to the general public. The city also communicated the latest update on the Kingsport Alerts Facebook page.

“Representatives from Eastman contacted the City earlier this evening regarding a steam release,” Batara said. “Per Eastman, there were no injuries and the noise from the steam release should begin to subside. As reported to the City from Eastman, there is no risk to the general public.”

Tracy Kilgore Addington, corporate communications manager for Eastman, shared similar information in an emailed statement Tuesday evening — stating no injuries were reported and the noise should calm down through the night.

Picture from WJHL-TV

"There was a steam release this afternoon at the Kingsport site which could be heard outside the plant," the email from Addington states. "There are no injuries and the noise will continue to subside throughout the evening."

The initial "boom" was heard on Louis, Wheatley, Carver and Dunbar Streets.  Another boom was heard in the Dale Street area last night.  Those are where your Douglass website got calls and emails from.

In a follow-up email statement around 9:05 p.m. Tuesday, Addington said the steam release came from a steam line "inside plant boundaries" central to the Eastman site and "there is no danger to the community, our operating systems, or the environment."

Kingsport Fire Department Public Information Officer Barry Brickey said his department responded for a mutual aid standby Tuesday but was released not long after to return to the station.

Again, no injuries.  This is a story we'll continue to follow up on.