Health officials urge evacuations near Michigan oil spill By the CNN Wire Staff July 29, 2010 3:38 p.m. EDT

Health officials urge evacuations near Michigan oil spill

By the CNN Wire Staff

July 29, 2010 3:38 p.m. EDT

(CNN) -- Officials in Michigan Thursday urged residents living near the Kalamazoo River oil spill to evacuate the area because of health concerns.

Between 30 and 50 homes are thought to be affected by the request, which was made by the Calhoun County Public Health Department.

Oil leaked Monday from a 30-inch pipeline, owned by Enbridge Energy Partners -- moving from Talmadge Creek into the Kalamazoo River, which flows from near the city of Battle Creek into Lake Michigan. The pipeline normally carries 190,000 barrels of oil per day from Griffith, Indiana, to Sarnia, Ontario.

The leak was stopped Tuesday, but not before an estimated 19,500 barrels of oil slipped out. The cause of the spill is under investigation.

"The Health Department is recommending evacuation due to the higher than acceptable levels of benzene found in air quality tests and the adverse long-term affect associated with exposure," officials said in a statement.

Benzene can cause drowsiness, dizziness, rapid or irregular heartbeat, headaches, tremors, confusion, or unconsciousness, the department said.

Health officials have advised residents to stay away from oil fumes and to avoid the spill site.