At least three people are injured after an explosion at a chemical plant in east Texas. The explosion forced people to evacuate and shattered windows 40 miles away. The explosion at the TPC Group plant in Port Neches set off a fire that shot flames hundreds of feet into the air. People living within a half-mile were told to evacuate because of the hazardous chemicals manufactured at the plant about an hour and-a-half east of Houston. The company says injured employees are being treated. More than 200 people work at the plant.
The company released the following statement early this morning:
At approximately 1:00 a.m. today, Wednesday, Nov. 27 an explosion was reported at the TPC Group Port Neches Operations site located at 2102 TX-136 Spur, Port Neches, TX 77561 involving a processing unit.
Emergency responders are still working to bring the event under control, and are doing so as quickly and safely as possible. Teams have been dispatched to conduct air monitoring along the fence line of the facility and in surrounding neighborhoods through mutual aid.
Unfortunately, the event resulted in injuries to two employees and one contractor at the site. They have been transported to the Southeast Texas Regional Medical Center and to Memorial Hermann in Houston for treatment. We are focused on their quick recovery and providing support to their families.
TPC Group activated its Emergency Response Plan and requested assistance from Port Neches Fire Department, Huntsman and Sabine Neches Chiefs Association. The incident was also immediately reported to the appropriate local, state, and federal authorities.
At this time, we cannot speak to the cause of the incident or the extent of damage, but TPC is assembling a team to conduct a full and thorough investigation.
PC is working with its insurance provider to establish a claims processing hotline for area residents impacted by the event.
TPC Group sincerely remains focused on protecting the safety of responders and the public and minimizing any impact to the environment. We encourage area residents to stay tuned to information from Jefferson County Emergency Management and local responders.
More information will be provided as soon as it is available.
Watch & Hear The Explosion At The TPC Plant In Port Neches
By iHeartMedia Beaumont