Two explosions took place at a flood-hit chemical plant in Crosby near Houstaon in Texas on Thursday. No casualties were reported, but at least 15 police officers were treated for smoke irritation from the explosion, Bloomberg reported.
The chemical plant is owned by French company Arkema SA, who said the remaining chemicals will eventually burn themselves out. The firm said as the plant was inaccessible because of the floodwaters from Hurricane Harvey, which made landfall in Texas on August 26, it was impossible to prevent the fire.
Assistant Fire Chief Bob Rayall said refrigeration at three of the site’s nine containers with peroxides had stopped, and one had caught fire, Reuters reported.
Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said the explosions were not a danger to the community. However, an administrator for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Brock Long, said the plumes of smoke were “incredibly dangerous”.
Arkema said it had asked residents to stay away from the evacuation zone. “We want local residents to be aware that the product is stored in multiple locations on the site, and a threat of additional explosion remains,” the company said, according to Sky News.
So far, 35 people have died because of Hurricane Harvey. The storm has caused devastating floods in Houston and several other parts of Texas. A 24-year-old Indian student died on Tuesday after he was rescued from Lake Bryan on Monday, where he had gone swimming along with another Indian, Shalini Singh.
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!