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ANDREW TUTINO
Thursday, August 17, 2000     Page: 9A

HAZLE TWP. – Representatives from state and federal agencies answered
questions Wednesday at the Municipal Building about the 1993 gas spill at the
Tranguch Tire store on 22nd Street in the city.
   
The meeting was the second of the summer where representatives from the
state Department of Environmental Protection, the Department of Health, the
federal Environmental Protection Agency and other agencies met with residents
affected by the spill.
    Joel H. Hersh, a director at the Department of Health, said officials are
studying data culled from vapor tests done in homes to detect benzene, which
can cause leukemia.
   
Two residents in the affected area have developed leukemia, Hersh said, and
about five homes have been found to have high levels of benzene vapors.
   
While benzene exposure has been directly linked to leukemia, there is no
way of knowing if the spill caused the cancer to develop, Hersh said.
   
The spill caused an unknown amount of gas to seep into a nearby mine pool,
according to a fact sheet released by state Rep. Todd Eachus, D-Butler
Township. The pool overflows into Black Creek during heavy rains and gasoline
has been detected in the creek.
   
The EPA has installed a special dam on Black Creek to collect petroleum
products on the surface, according to a fact sheet.