Cleaning up neighborhood dumping ground

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A northeast Houston neighborhood has been turned into a complete dumping ground, with trash, needles, old couches and more tossed in their backyards. And these residents are sick of it.

They take pride in their neighborhood, but can only sit back and watch when others constantly treat it as a dump. Residents say it's been happening for years along Bretshire near Parker.

"On a scale of one to 10, we're 11," said Arnold Larkins, president of the Fontaine Scenic Woods Civic Club. "We're 11 with frustration."

The frustration is over piles and piles of trash illegally dumped along Bretshire Street in northeast Houston -- a problem plaguing the Fountaine Scenic Woods neighborhood for years.

"They've had boats out here before, old couches," one resident said.

Larkins said, "We've had as much as old cars dumped here."

And the fury from these eyesores, fueled by phone calls from fed up residents, has spilled over to Houston cicy council member Jerry Davis, who is now taking these messy matters into his own hands -- literally.

Davis swapped his loafers for work boots to help city crews and volunteers clean up illegal dumping sites in his district. Davis says enough is enough. Residents say it's time for permanent change.

Davis said, "We've got to come together from the government side, city side, as well as the constituents in this area to come together to begin to police this to be able to understand why this is problematic."

"We've battled this a long time but this time hopefully we'll find a remedy and we can come up with something that can make the community a little bit more livable," Larkins said.
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HazMat crews cleaning up hydrochloric acid spill in Stafford

Sky Eye HD was over a Hazmat scene in Stafford, where hydrochloric acid spilled out of the bay of an auto repair shop

  A HazMat scene is unfolding in Stafford right now.

We're told hydrochloric acid spilled at the Pit Stop Auto Repair shop near FM 1092 and Mula. The acid spilled out of the bay and onto the pavement outside.

Right now, HazMat crews are spraying down that pavement.

We don't have word of any injuries, but will continue to follow the story. Stay with Eyewitness News and abc13.com for the very latest.

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Mixed cleaning products create HazMat situation

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Police say a woman who mixed toilet bowl cleaner with bleach created a HazMat situation at her southwest Houston apartment complex.

The incident happened around 5:30pm at an apartment complex on Timmons Lane near Colquitt.

Police say a plumber responded to a call at the woman's apartment and became concerned when no one answered. He entered through a window and found the woman dead.

"As soon as I seen that, I hopped out, left and called the cops," the plumber told us.

When police arrived and smelled the chemicals, a HazMat crew and a bomb squad were dispatched to the scene.

Neighbors in the units immediately surrounding that of the woman's were evacuated.

An extensive cleanup effort lasted into the night. The scene was clear and residents were allowed back in their homes by 2:30am.

No other injuries were reported, though we were told a couple of firefighters had to be decontaminated, or essentially washed down.

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Fort Bend County residents cleaning up tornado damage

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- The Bayou City was slammed with severe storms on Monday, and some parts of town are still having to deal with high water and lots of damage.

Those storms actually spawned two tornadoes, one of which touched down near the Mission Bend subdivision in Fort Bend County.

"You can feel the wind inside the house, that was pushing against the house," said resident Umar Sayyed.

On a day when Sayyed is still trying to come to terms with the tornado that hit his house, the street where he lives is full of activity; insurance claim adjusters, Red Cross workers, contractors are all invited.

"The front door was locked," said Sayyed. "It was shut and it flew open."

"I got a couple of calls from customers and I made it out here and I saw what condition it's in," said Juan Villalovo with Mr. Goodpainter.

There is plenty of work to be done there, after the EF-1 tornado tore through the neighborhood Monday morning.

Sayyed pushed his mother and sister into a tiny closet to get away from the twister.

"I didn't have no time to think," he told us. "I just did whatever I could, grabbed my mom and my sister. That's all I worried about."

Afterward, the damage was -- to him -- unbelievable. Much of the roof was gone. The ceiling was gone. And the insulation was on the floor.

"I've been looking at it all day," said Sayyed. "Now I'm starting to believe it."

But his little sister's breakfast is still sitting on the table. And a china cabinet, curiously enough, survived, along with all the delicate glass and knickknacks still intact.

The family is staying with friends for now, knowing it's going to be a long time before they can come home. But they're grateful nonetheless.

"I'm just happy I made it," said Sayyed.

If your home is damaged, you should always check with your insurance company first. That hasn't stopped contractors from trying to drum up some business, even leafleting our live truck just in case we had any fences that needed to be fixed.

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