Explosion, fire injure 1 at Houston-area chemical plant

Mar 22, 2023, 12:08 PM | Updated: 2:48 pm

PASADENA, Texas (AP) — An explosion and fire erupted Wednesday at a chemical plant in suburban Houston, injuring one person.

Officials were still investigating what caused the blast at 12:11 p.m. at the plant in the city of Pasadena.

But preliminary information showed the fire occurred as liquified natural gas was being transferred from a tanker truck to a storage tank, Harris County Commissioner Adrian Garcia said at a news conference.

County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said the injured person was taken to a hospital and was listed in stable condition. The man possibly suffered some burns, but his injuries did not appear to be life threatening, Gonzalez said.

Local news broadcasts showed a large ball of fire at the plant followed by large plumes of black smoke. Crews later extinguished the blaze.

Officials briefly shut down nearby roads.

The facility is owned by INEOS Phenol and produces Cumene, an organic compound used to make a variety of things including herbicides and pesticides, cleaning products and auto parts.

A spokesman for INEOS Phenol did not immediately return a call and email seeking comment.

The city of Pasadena said it had not ordered residents to take any protective actions, such as sheltering in place.

County officials said preliminary air monitoring after the fire did not detect any problems that might impact residents.

“Our Pollution Control and Hazardous Materials teams will remain on the ground to monitor the situation and ensure there is no threat to public health or safety,” Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, the county’s top elected official, said in a statement.

Cumene is a skin and eye irritant and may cause headaches, dizziness, drowsiness and unconsciousness with short-term inhalation, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

United States News

This photo provided by the chipmaker Nvidia shows the company’s HGX H100 module, which can use as...

Associated Press

AI chips are hot. Here’s what they are, what they’re for and why investors see gold

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The hottest thing in technology is an unprepossessing sliver of silicon closely related to the chips that power video game graphics. It’s an artificial intelligence chip, designed specifically to make building AI systems such as ChatGPT faster and cheaper. Such chips have suddenly taken center stage in what some experts consider […]

1 day ago

Natalie R. Coles, vice president & chief development officer at Wilberforce University, poses on th...

Associated Press

US companies, nudged by Black employees, have stepped up donations to HBCUs

Natalie Coles will never forget receiving an unexpected phone call in 2020. On the line was Virginia-based Dominion Energy, offering to give money to Wilberforce University, the small historically Black college where she is in charge of fundraising. The company’s $500,000 donation went in part toward laptops and hot spots for students when the pandemic […]

1 day ago

FILE - This booking photo provided by the Clay County, Mo., Sheriff's Office shows Andrew Lester. L...

Associated Press

Judge agrees to seal court documents in Ralph Yarl shooting; suspect to be in court

LIBERTY, Mo. (AP) — A Kansas City man accused of shooting a Black teenager who mistakenly came to his door last month is scheduled to be back in court Thursday, days after a judge ruled that court documents in the case will be sealed and kept from the public. The hearing for 84-year-old Andrew Lester […]

1 day ago

FILE - Susana Lujano, left, a dreamer from Mexico who lives in Houston, joins other activists to ra...

Associated Press

Revised DACA program to be debated before Texas judge who previously ruled against it

HOUSTON (AP) — A revised version of a federal policy that prevents the deportation of hundreds of thousands of immigrants brought to the U.S. as children is set to be debated Thursday before a federal judge who previously ruled the program illegal. Attorneys representing the nine states that have sued to end the Deferred Action […]

1 day ago

FILE - Jim Obergefell, the named plaintiff in the Obergefell v. Hodges Supreme Court case that lega...

Associated Press

LGBTQ+ Pride month kicks off with protests, parades, parties

NEW YORK (AP) — The start of June marks the beginning of Pride month around the U.S. and some parts of the world, a season to celebrate the lives and experiences of LGBTQ+ communities and to protest against recent attacks on hard-won civil rights gains. This year’s Pride takes place in a contentious political climate […]

1 day ago

Associated Press

After sailing though House on bipartisan vote, Biden-McCarthy debt ceiling deal now goes to Senate

WASHINGTON (AP) — Veering away from a default crisis, the House overwhelmingly approved a debt ceiling and budget cuts package, sending the deal that President Joe Biden and Speaker Kevin McCarthy negotiated to the Senate for swift passage in a matter of days, before a fast-approaching deadline. The hard-fought compromise pleased few, but lawmakers assessed […]

1 day ago

Sponsored Articles

...

SANDERSON FORD

Thank you to Al McCoy for 51 years as voice of the Phoenix Suns

Sanderson Ford wants to share its thanks to Al McCoy for the impact he made in the Valley for more than a half-decade.

...

Desert Institute for Spine Care

Spinal fusion surgery has come a long way, despite misconceptions

As Dr. Justin Field of the Desert Institute for Spine Care explained, “we've come a long way over the last couple of decades.”

...

OCD & Anxiety Treatment Center

How to identify the symptoms of 3 common anxiety disorders

Living with an anxiety disorder can be debilitating and cause significant stress for those who suffer from the condition.

Explosion, fire injure 1 at Houston-area chemical plant