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 "