From Associated Press
Schools and restaurants closed, grocery stores sold out of bottled water, and state legislators canceled the day’s business after a chemical spill in the Elk River in Charleston shut down much of the city and surrounding counties.
The chemical that spilled into the river, contaminating drinking water, is 4-Methylcyclohexane Methanol, which is used as a foaming agent in processing coal. It is considered harmful if swallowed or inhaled, though it may not be lethal.
It’s believed that at least 5,000 gallons of the toxic chemical escaped into the river.
On Friday, West Virginia Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin declared a state of emergency for the Charleston-area counties affected.
He earlier issued an order to customers of West Virginia American Water: Do not drink, bathe, cook or wash clothes with tap water.
“I don’t know if the water is not safe,” water company president Jeff McIntyre said. “Until we get out and flush the actual system and do more testing, we can’t say how long this (advisory) will last at this time.”