Chemical Plant Explosion Near Houston Blackens Skies, Injures One
The explosion also caused the closure of a nearby highway and a shelter-in-place order for the surrounding area
Residents of San Jacinto County, Texas – approximately 60 miles northeast of Houston – have been ordered to shelter in place after a chemical plant exploded Wednesday morning, according to a report published by Reuters. One person is reported to have been injured in a forklift injury, but is in stable condition and a single highway was closed.
The explosion occurred at a factory in Shepherd, Texas called Sound Resource Solutions which focuses on blending and distributing oil-based products such as xylene and toluene as well as other chemicals like sulfuric acid and acetone.
BREAKING: Shelter-in-place order issued after significant explosion at chemical plant in Shepherd, Texas. pic.twitter.com/j4UiAR3P3c
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It's not immediately clear what caused the incident, but reports have stated that there is a massive 4,000 gallon propane tank at the center of the conflagration as well as a large natural gas main.
Texas has a bad track record of industrial explosions in recent years, with the worst incident occurring a decade ago in the town of West, Texas where a fertilizer plant exploded killing 15 people and injuring more than 160. More recently, in 2018, four east Texas towns were ordered to evacuate after a butadiene plant in Port Neches exploded.
We reached out to Sound Resource Solutions for comment, but didn't hear back in time for publication.