KEY POINTS

  • A Houston teen was taken into custody in connection to the mercury spill that happened in three annexing establishments in the area
  • The teen was charged with burglary and unlawful disposal of hazardous material along with an outstanding felony on a drug possession warrant
  • 30 to 60 people were hosed down and one pregnant woman was taken to the hospital for precautionary measures
  • The three establishments involved in the spill, a Walmart branch, a drive-in and a gas station were evacuated
  • Investigations are still ongoing on the cause of the spills while cleanup crews were dispatched to handle the spills 

A 19-year-old Houston man was taken into custody for his connection with the mercury spills in three establishments on Monday.

Christopher Lee Melder, 19, was arrested and questioned on his connection to the mercury spills that happened around Houston.

Melder was also charged with burglary, unlawful disposal of hazardous material and an outstanding felony on a drug possession warrant.

Houston officials were notified through a 911 call on Sunday morning of a white liquid on the ground which was later determined as mercury and was spilled outside of a Walmart, a Sonic Drive-In and a nearby gas station.

According to AP News, all three locations were evacuated and around 30 to 60 people were decontaminated with one pregnant woman sent to the hospital for precautionary purposes.

Houston Fire Chief Sam Pena told the press in a Sunday news conference that the situation was under control and the spills are being cleaned up.

Although it is still unclear to officials how the substance was spilled, investigators are looking into reports of someone checking into a Houston hospital who claimed to have been exposed to mercury on Friday, and also the reports on a recent warehouse break-in, NBC News reported.

According to Pena, there is a “low” risk of the spill being hazardous to those who were exposed due to the small amount of mercury spilled and the fact that the spill happened outdoors.

“The threat to the public is very low because the spill occurred outdoors and the amount of chemical spilled is small,” Dr. David Persse, local health authority for the Houston Health Department stated ina a report by NBC News.

“The amount of chemical detected on those exposed is below the level that’s dangerous to the average individual.”

Furthermore, Pena said that the toxic spill would have been dangerous if it was ingested or inhaled.

According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), mercury exists in three forms with elemental mercury being the one in liquid form in room temperature.

The Environmental Protection Agency said that exposure to high levels of mercury damage the heart, brain, lungs, kidneys, lungs, the immune system and the development of fetuses and young children.

mercury toxicity
Styrofoam models of dead fish placed by Greenpeace environmental activists float near a ship moored in Argentina's most polluted river, the heavy-metal laced, reeking Riachuelo, November 28, 2000. reuters