Page 8-Friday, July 6, 1979-The Michigan Daily
Dangerous chemicals
erupt in Tenn. plant
fire, 10 hospitalized
S, Tenn. (AP-A mush- parathion-was a common pesticide
MEMPHISthat effects the central nervous system
room cloud of toxic pesticide erupted and is considered extremely
from a burning chemical plant yester- dangerous.
day, forcing at least 2,000 residents Within hours, emergency rooms at
from their homes and closing three hospitals treated more than 140
Mississippi River taffic. people who complained of watering
At least 155 persons were treated at pa
hospitals after the fire, but only 10 were eyes, nausea, and respiratory
admitted. Those hospitalzied included problems. Physicians administered an-
three plant workers and six firemen tidotes for possible chemical poisoning,
who suffered burns, and a fireman but none of the patients were admitted
stricken by a heart attack. One plant tohsia.
Drexel President Robert Shockey
worker was in critical condition.DrxlPeintRbtShcy
Frefihter s diiaod diexpoing said damge to his company could reach
Firefighters dodged exploding, 55-
gallon chemical drums and battled heat $4 million, and they might lose as much
and poisonous fumes for more than as $8 million in sales.
ABOUT 30 EMPLOYEES were in the
three hours before the fire at the Drexel Drexel plant in SouthwestMemphis
Chemical Co. was brought under con- when an 8,000-gallon tank of methyl
trol.
AS THE FIRE burned, police and fire paralthion exploded. Drexel uses the
parathion to make an organic
department dispatchers broadcast phosphate based pesticide.
warnings that the heavy smoke cloud As the firefighters worked, Civil
contaned nerve gas. But a University Defense officials issued the first of
of Tennessee toxicologist later said the several evacuation orders which even-
chemical in the smoke-methyl tually covered a 5-square-mile area.
TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD
From e Pulitzer prize winning novel by syH rper Lee, about unequal justice in
ecagdwith the Herculean task of clearing a handicapped black man from ?",-
anatmted rpe charge-and the possibly more difficult task of explaining
it all to his young children. With MARY BADHAM and BROCK PETERS. By the
director of "Summer of '42." AP Photo
SAT: Copra's IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT A MUSHROOM-SHAPED cloud hung over the Drexel Chemical Co. yesterday
SUN: Murnau's THE LAST LAUGH (Free at 8 only) after the pesticide plant was engulfed by flames. Thousands of nearby workers
and residents were evacuated as Civil Defense workers wanred them of highly
N MA U L TONIGHT AT OLD ARCH. AUD. toxic fumes emitted from the explosion. Police said the smoke contained a
CGEIADGU:30& 9:45 $1.50 nerve gas-like substance.
Michigan
r ToATsEae-2-3-44 budget bills
9NOW SHOWING g 0Jm
NOWSHOING go to joint
3rd committee
W EEK' LANSING (UPI) - The state Senate
yesterday reversed an earlier vote, ap-
(UpperLevel}proving a $1.5 billion social services
budget for 1979-80 which includes a
seven per cent increase in Aid to
a "<Dependent Children benefits and a an
MON.-TUE.-THUR. on welfare abortions.
FRI.
7:15 Senate approval of the massive
9:45 welfare budget capped a day of budget
|we | ' work in both chambers.
SAT.-SUN.-WED.
12:10 The Senate also approved a $1.5
2:30 billion school aid spending plan and
4:50 funding for the Department of Natural
7:15 Resources. The House, meanwhile, ap-
9:45 proved a $499.3 million mental health
budget and a plan for funding county
sheriff's road patrols.
SHOWTIMES THE WELFARE and school aid
SUBJECT TO budgets are the two largest spending
DELAY bills and account for more than half the
total $4.6 billion budget proposal.
All bills now have been shuttled into
Late Comers Can House-Senate conference committees,
nB P~f MC OEW A.--Not Stay Over where compromise versions will be
PARAMOUNT PICTURES Presents A MALPASO Company/SIEGEL Fim Co-Starrig PAERICK MCGOOHAN - N S aOhammered out.
SROWS ARE NOT CONTINUOUS ha e ro.
Osutse Psoducer ROBERT EALEY -Soeenylayby RICHARD UGGLE -IBsed on th ky I CAPBELL IRCE a 5 Senate approval of the welfare
Music byJERRY FIELDING -Produced and Directed by DON SIEGEL - A PARAMOUNT PICTURE budget, which had been rejected
j.d Tuesday, came on a27-10 vote.