Two people died and several were injured from a chemical leak at a Houston plant on Tuesday night, authorities said.
The incident happened at roughly 7:35 p.m. local time and involved an acetic acid leak at the LyondellBasell facility in the La Porte Complex, company spokeswoman Chevalier Gray said in a statement. First responders treated five people for injuries at the scene, while two were taken to a nearby medical facility, Harris County Fire Marshal Laurie Christensen said during a press conference Tuesday evening.
At least 42 people were assessed by medical officials for injuries ranging from critical to minor, the Harris County Fire Marshal’s Office added.
“We are saddened to confirm two contractors were fatally injured in this incident,” Gray said. The identities of the contractors who died were not released, authorities added.
DOZENS INJURED FOLLOWING CHEMICAL LEAK AT TEXAS WATER PARK
HCFMO investigators conducted initial interviews and determined there was no explosion or fire, therefore we have turned the investigation over to @Pct8Constable who is the authority having jurisdiction regarding this incident. #hounews
— @hcfmo (@hcfmo) July 28, 2021
The chemical leak was “isolated” at 10:50 p.m. on Tuesday, and air monitoring of the facility indicates no impact outside the plant, Harris County officials said. LyondellBasell is working closely with responders and confirmed that personnel in the area of the leak were accounted for shortly after midnight.
Authorities initially said an explosion occurred at the scene, but the Harris County Fire Marshal’s Office investigation found no explosion or fire. The cause of the leak is under investigation, the company said.
“HCFMO investigators conducted initial interviews and determined there was no explosion or fire,” the office tweeted early Wednesday morning.
The investigation has been turned over to the Harris County Precinct 8 Constable’s Office, it added.
Following the incident, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo said she was “heartbroken” over the loss of two chemical plant workers and “grateful to all first responders.”
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The Washington Examiner contacted the Precinct 8 Constable’s Office for comment but did not immediately receive a response.
