Mysterious dead birds prompt downtown Austin shutdown

[helderheid]

Mysterious dead birds prompt downtown Austin shutdown

Highlights:

• Dozens of birds found dead, prompting closure of 10-block area
• No reports of any humans harmed
• Experts testing for environmental contaminant, gas or chlorine leaks
• No immediate word on whether Capitol will be affected

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- Police shut down 10 blocks of businesses in the heart of downtown Austin early Monday after dozens birds were found dead.

Experts were testing for any sort of environmental contaminant or gas or chlorine leaks that might have killed off the animals, police spokeswoman Toni Chovanetz said.

There were no reports of any humans harmed, but a 10-block stretch of the main north-south route through downtown, several side streets and all buildings in the area were blocked off and expected to remain off-limits until about noon, Chovanetz said.

The bird carcasses were found overnight along Congress Avenue between Sixth and Eighth streets.

The street closure Monday morning stretched from the front of the state Capitol to a section of the Colorado River known as Town Lake. There was no immediate word on whether the Capitol would be affected Monday, the day before the legislative session was to begin.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/01/08/austin.birds.ap/index.html

[havocmom]

1. Dead birds in Austin, gas oder in NYC...

gonna be an interesting week. Will I need more tin foil?

[helderheid]

4. hand me some if you have any extra.

[havocmom]

8. You got it! I buy the BIG ROLL from COSTCO

What is in store when the week starts like this? Diversions or crumbling inner-cities?

[nebenaube]

2. NYC and now this?

Ok, so where are all the NBC sensors that were installed after 9/11 and what are they reading?

[BluePatriot]

3. Almost put this story in an NYC thread.

I hope the two are not related. However, Austin is high on the "preparedness" scale for a city its size. I remember them touting that when I was in school there.

[EST]

5. Cheney target practicin' again?

I thought he was delivering death somewhere else.

[peekaloo]

13. nah, there would have been lawyers strewn about the street if Dead Eye

Dick were in town.

[Norquist Nemesis]

17. LOL! Actually, he is going hunting today

but it's going to be in Pennsylvania. Maybe he took a few practice shots in undercover and in the dark at Austin before heading out.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=3067269&mesg_id=3067269

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

18. Not Cheney ... there were no human victims. nt

x

[Bill McBlueState]

6. oh no, the Earth stopped rotating!

At least, if you learn your science from movies like The Core, you'd be forced to conclude that.

[pretzel4gore]

7. bushco's up to no good...

they have all the tools necessary, and a pigmedia that shits on command...don't trust them...

[helderheid]

9. it's damn scary!

[dogday]

10. New York, Austin, Miami Yesterday

I am going to ask my cat, he has the answers

[kwyjibo]

11. Heard a rumor that 2 firemen got sick

and they found at least 60 dead birds.

But no real news yet.

[MazeRat7]

12. This is what emergency mgmt is saying...

They found about 40-60 dead birds in downtown last night about 3am. They called in a whole bunch of agencies. About 10 blocks of Congress Avg (which leads to the capitol) are closed but expected to reopen hopefully by noon.

The birds have been sent for toxicology to Texas A&M. They have identified 3 species (grackle, sparrow, pigeon). They are leaning toward this being some kind of poison but will not know until the results are back from A&M.

Nobody has been evacuated and no people have been taken to the hospital for medical care.

So... I dunno.. I'm not in downtown but if you know austin you know closing congress creates one hell of a traffic mess.

All in all, the OP detail above matches what is being told on the local stations.

Peace.

MZr7

[itsmesgd]

14. everybody appears to be waiting for "something"

Miami, Austin, New York (who poont?). It looks to me like people and the MSM are getting ready for whatever attack is going to be blamed on Iran. It also looks to me like no one as any idea of what to expect (chemical, nuke, renegade truckers from Miami...). I'm gonna cast my vote for "general paranoia" on this one. Most people, in the backs of their mind "know" that we will have to "be attacked" before we attack Iran. The chimp is losing what little credibility he has even amongst the war mongers and his back is against the wall.

[helderheid]

15. UPDATE: Congress Avenue closed until noon

Congress Avenue closed until noon
1/8/2007 8:22 AM
By: News 8 Austin Staff



Congress Avenue from Cesar Chavez to 11th Street as well as one block on either side of Congress are closed until noon.

Authorities are trying to figure how several dozen dead birds were found along Congress between Sixth and Eighth streets overnight.

Crews did check for any gas leaks or other chemicals earlier, but nothing was found.

The Austin Fire Department suggests that if you work in the affected area, you wait until they've given the "all clear" before going in.

All Congress Avenue Capital Metro routes are being detoured to San Jacinto and Brazos.

[helderheid]

16. Another update:

Discovery Of Dead Birds Shuts Downtown Austin
As Many As 60 Were Found Overnight; Authorities Say No Threat to Public Health

(AP) AUSTIN, Texas Police shut down 10 blocks of businesses in the heart of downtown early Monday after dozens of birds were found dead in the streets, but officials said preliminary tests showed no dangerous chemicals in the air.

As many as 60 dead pigeons, sparrows and grackles were found overnight along Congress Avenue, a main route through downtown. No human injuries or illnesses were reported.

"We do not feel there is a threat to the public health," said Adolfo Valadez, the medical director for Austin and Travis County Health and Human Services. He said preliminary air-quality tests showed no dangerous chemicals and the area should reopen around noon.

U.S. Department of Homeland Security spokesman Russ Knocke said officials had no credible information to suggest any imminent threat to the city.

On Congress Avenue, just outside the state Capitol, emergency workers donned yellow hazardous-material suits Monday morning, and dozens of fire trucks and ambulances were parked nearby.

Workers were testing for any sort of environmental contaminant or gas or chlorine leaks that might have cause the bird deaths, said police spokeswoman Toni Chovanetz. At least one bird carcass was being tested locally for other possible causes, and other carcasses were shipped to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Texas A&M University.

Valadez said the tests on the dead birds would likely take several days and look for signs of poisoning or viral infections, though he said officials do not think bird flu is involved.

A 10-block stretch of Congress Avenue, several side streets and all buildings in the area were shut down and declared off-limits as a precaution, Chovanetz said.

The street closure stretched from just outside the Capitol to a section of the Colorado River known as Town Lake. The Capitol opened on schedule Monday, the day before the legislative session was to begin.

On the East Coast, New York City also had a scare Monday morning when a mysterious gas odor moved across Manhattan. It wasn't immediately clear what had caused the odor, and it dissipated fairly quickly. No injuries or damage to wildlife was immediately reported.

http://cbs11tv.com/pets/local_story_008120838.html