By Joel Langton
The 830 Times
The stench from a train car full of more than 30 tons of fermented fish meal has turned the Chihuahua neighborhood into a ghost town as many residents opt to stay in their houses.
Thursday, the rail car was detached from a train when it began smoldering in the heat. The Del Rio Fire Department responded and put water on it and Union Pacific disconnected it and left it right behind the United Civic Organization’s baseball field, basketball courts and playground.
Residents in the nearby Chihuahua neighborhood said they have felt the pain. “I have six kids and I’m keeping them in the house,” said Suyen Solis, who lives on Albert St., less than 100 yards from the train car. “We don’t even take them to the playground. I drove them to another one two miles away and it still smelled bad there. It’s really bad at night and in the morning.”
However, Tuesday evening, the wind had changed direction, giving Chihuahua a break but pushing the stench towards Veterans Blvd.
“Right now, the wind is blowing that way, and that is good,” said Jose Hernandez, pointing north from the Chihuahua area. “My son called 911 last week and they said there was nothing they could do.”
Hernandez lives a block from Solis on Ware St.
Val Verde County Judge Lewis G. Owens Jr. is trying to do something. “Last week I called Union Pacific and asked them what they could do,” he said. “They got right back to me and sent a crew down.”
The crew is from United Professional Services that has offices in Hondo, Austin and Fort Worth. Construction Journal said the company offers On-Call Environmental Remediation and Disposal Services, Homeless Encampment Clean-Up Services and their website (United Professional Service (upshazmat.com) )lists numerous other services.
Travis Spengler, a driver with the company who was on-site by the railcar, said they were working to get it cleaned out.
“It’s fish meal, which is basically ground up fish guts,” Spengler said. “We are trying to get it done as fast as we can. We hate the stink too. It stinks dry but especially when it’s smoldering like this.”
He said they’d removed 30 tons so far. “We’re about two-thirds of the way through,” he said.
Owens knows they’re doing their best, but he’s not happy.
“I know they are trying but I’m not happy about this. It’s right by a park where our kids play baseball, basketball and there’s a playground,” he said. “Hopefully, they’ll have it done by the end of the week.”
Local residents sure hope so.
The writer can be reached at JoelALangton@gmail.com.
