Massive fish kill under investigation; Magnablend issued citation

Obtained from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality: Thousands of Fish Were Killed because of chemical spill-off during the Magnablend plant explosion clean-up efforts in October of last year.

WAXAHACHIE - The explosion at the Magnablend facility Monday, Oct. 3 in Waxahachie is still battling not only clean-up issues, but citations from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality for killing thousands of fish in nearby lakes and ponds.

The plant, located off the Highway 287 and Interstate 35 bypass, provided custom chemical blending, manufacturing, and packaging services. As well as offering  liquid and powder blending services; and specialty chemical blending services, such as exothermic and endothermic reactions, anhydrous ammonia, powder spraying, polymer dispersions and precision accuracy according to the company’s website.

Records obtained from TCEQ, indicated the original reports of “hundreds” of fish killed because of aftermath chemical run-off from the clean-up were really thousands. 

From Monday, Oct. 24 through Friday, Nov. 4 TCEQ had investigators onsite monitoring the water in the general vicinity of the explosion.

Reports indicate the fish were deprived of oxygen, eventually dying off after stressing to breathe for days. Lead TCEQ Investigator Michelle Havelka noted anywhere from small fish species to large bass were discovered killed.

A letter sent to Magnablend President/CEO Scott Pendry via certified mail notified the company about the TCEQ findings and “failure to prevent an unauthorized discharge into or adjacent to any water in the state resulting in a fish kill” with a notice of enforcement for Unauthorized discharge and fish kill at a pond located on private property on West Grand Avenue and South of John Arden Road in Waxahachie.

The letter states the Texas Legislature has granted enforcement powers to the TCEQ to carry out its mission to protect human health and the environment and additional violations may be cited upon further review.

Pendry has yet to reply back to the letter as of last week.