Fire News

Garland initiates cleanup of creeks after Sherwin-Williams fire

View of creek at Wynn Park, facing downstream.

response.epa.gov

On August 7, at approximately 1:20 am, a fire broke out at the Sherwin-Williams facility in Garland, at 701 S. Shiloh Rd. Garland Fire Department responded; 16 fire units suppressed the fire after two hours.

But during the efforts to contain the fire, foam retardant from the Sherwin-Williams fire suppression system entered the sewers and surrounding creeks.

Now, the City of Garland, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and Sherwin-Williams are working to remediate the issues caused by the runoff and clean up remaining foam which has been spotted in local creeks.

Some dead fish have been observed in the impacted creeks, and the public is advised to not fish or have contact with these creeks while contaminant testing and cleanup activities continue.

Dams have been constructed and water is being pumped out of impacted creeks to mitigate the spread of potential contaminants.

According to a release, 27 tanks have already been filled with over 600,000 gallons of potentially impacted water, and 23 more tanks are expected to be filled over the next few days. Water sampling is ongoing, and the sampling results will be posted when available.

As a precaution, the EPA has activated the Poison Control Center for this incident. Those who feel unwell and believe it is the result of contact with an impacted creek should call 1-800-222-1222 for guidance.

Impacted creeks span approximately 17.4 water miles, beginning near the intersection of Shiloh and Miller Roads and extending to the East Fork Trinity River.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation with Garland Fire remaining onsite.

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E-Cigarette News

Dallas City Council places restrictions on vaping in public

Unsplash

Man vaping

Vaping will now be banned exactly like smoking, thanks to a new ordinance from the Dallas City Council.

At their December 11 meeting, the council passed an ordinance to ban vaping in all the same areas where smoking is not allowed. It'll go into effect on December 11, 2025 — giving everyone a year to get into compliance.

Proposed by City of Dallas Environmental Commission (EVC) and the Office of Environmental Quality and Sustainability (OEQS), the ordinance amends the definition of “smoking” in the Dallas City Code to include the use of vaping devices.

The ordinance does not ban vaping — it only bans where you can vape: no vaping in all indoor and enclosed spaces; within 15 feet of building entrances; and on park property. The ordinance also bans marijuana smoking in those same places.

In addition, the amendment requires restaurants, hotels, fitness centers and other businesses to update their signage to clearly state that both smoking and electronic smoking devices are prohibited.

The ordinance already earned widespread support from health organizations such as the Dallas County Health and Human Services, the American Lung Association, and the American Heart Association. These organizations, along with the World Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the U.S. Surgeon General, have all raised concerns about the health risks of direct and second-hand exposure to vaping aerosols, particularly for vulnerable populations such as children and older adults.

Dallas is not the first city to impose such a ban: San Antonio enacted a similar ban in October. Theirs goes into effect on January 1, 2025.

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