Texas officials tackle industrial plant fire as heavy black smoke blankets sky
An industrial plant in Deer Park, Texas, caught fire Friday afternoon. Officials say all employees have been accounted for. (Source: Ralph Espinosa)
A fire ignited a unit of the Shell facility in Deer Park, Texas, Friday afternoon, according to authorities.
The fire began just before 3 p.m. in the olefins unit of a Shell Deer Park chemical facility.
"The ignited product includes cracked heavy gas oil, cracked light gas oil and gasoline," the company said in a Facebook post.
"No injuries have been reported, though a small number of contract employees who were exposed to product are undergoing medical evaluation as a precaution," the statement added.
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Texas officials reported that a fire began at a facility in the Deer Park area on Friday. (FOX 26 Houston)
It is unknown how many people were injured. Officials told FOX 26 Houston that eight people were hurt, while Shell Deer Park Chemicals reported no injuries.
Shell Deer Park Chemicals added that the cause of the fire will be investigated in the future.
As of 7 p.m. Friday, the fire was contained and reported to be diminishing. All employees at the facility have been accounted for.
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Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez says that there was a report of an explosion at an industrial plant near Beltway 8 and Texas State Highway 225. (FOX 26 Houston)
Aerial pictures showed flames shooting from the facility's smokestacks and huge billows of black smoke.
Deer Park International School District and Office of Emergency Management officials said there was no shelter-in-place order due to wind blowing in the opposite direction of Deer Park.
Aerial pictures show flames coming out of the facility's smokestacks and huge billows of black smoke. (FOX 26 Houston)
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The fire took up so much space in the sky that it was visible on National Weather Service's radar, the organization reported.
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