HOUSTON, TX. (THECOUNT) — The FBI is now investigating a west Houston mercury spill announcing an individual has been taken into custody, early Monday reports say.
The FBI tweeted the individual is not being identified at this time because charges have not been filed in the case.
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Up to 60 people were processed for decontamination, including one pregnant woman who was taken to the hospital as a precaution, reports KHOU on Monday morning.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s field office in Houston said early Monday that a person was taken into custody for questioning over the mercury spill in west Houston after a “small amount” of the chemical spilled around 1 p.m. Sunday at a Walmart, a Sonic and a Shell station near the intersection of Beltway 8 and Westview Drive. Houston Fire Chief Sam Pena said the amount of mercury at each location is less than a pint.
The inhalation of mercury vapour can produce harmful effects on the nervous, digestive and immune systems, lungs and kidneys, and may be fatal. The inorganic salts of mercury are corrosive to the skin, eyes and gastrointestinal tract, and may induce kidney toxicity if ingested, reports WHO.
What’s not clear at this time is if the spill was intentional or accidental.
On Sunday Houston Police said if the scene was believed to be criminal, the FBI would take the lead.
DEVELOPING::
Geo quick facts: Houston is a large metropolis in Texas, extending to Galveston Bay. It’s closely linked with the Space Center Houston, the coastal visitor center at NASA’s astronaut training and flight control complex. The city’s relatively compact Downtown includes the Theater District, home to the renowned Houston Grand Opera, and the Historic District, with 19th-century architecture and upscale restaurants – wikipedia