Crosby (WBAP/KLIF) – Two explosions were reported early Thursday morning at the Arkema chemical plant in Crosby, about 20 miles north east of Houston.
The plant produces organic peroxides, and the chemicals it uses must be kept cold for safety. However the facility had to be abandoned when more than 40 inches of rain flooded it, and all electrical and backup safety systems failed.
The Arkema Group’s Richard Rennard explained the dynamics that created the perfect storm.
“When these things degrade, they generate heat, when they generate heat, they can burn, when they burn…if they burn aggressively, they can cause an explosion,” he said.
Plant officials said at the time that such explosions could release dangerous chemicals into the air.
There are reports of thick, black smoke rising from the scene of the Thursday morning blasts. One deputy was taken to a hospital after inhaling fumes. Nine others went to that same hospital for precautionary checkups.
Rennard said anyone who was within a mile of the plant had been told to evacuate.
“We anticipate that all of this product is going to degrade. We don’t know how long its going to take. We’re not going to put anybody in harms way to try to restore refrigeration because we don’t know the state of the affected containers,” he said.
Rennard said the containers are kept separate from the the rest of the plant, so no other damage is likely.
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