A routine maintenance operation at an oil refinery turned tragic, sending shockwaves through a Texas community.
Fox News reported that a chemical leak at the PEMEX oil refinery in Deer Park, Texas, resulted in two fatalities and left at least 35 people injured.
The incident occurred on Thursday night when workers were performing maintenance on a flange, leading to an unexpected release of hydrogen sulfide gas.
The Deer Park Office of Emergency Management was alerted to the situation at approximately 5:23 p.m. Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez provided initial details about the accident, stating that an unknown incident during the maintenance work triggered the gas leak.
Sheriff Gonzalez estimated that it would take seven to eight hours for investigators to access the site of the incident safely. This delay highlights the severity of the situation and the precautions necessary when dealing with hazardous materials.
In response to the leak, PEMEX, the company operating the refinery, announced that it had shut down a 92,000-barrel-per-day coker and a hydrotreater. These preventative measures were taken to contain the situation and prevent further complications.
The Deer Park Office of Emergency Management initially issued a shelter-in-place order for the surrounding area. However, this order was later lifted after environmental assessments were conducted.
Multiple agencies, including Harris County Pollution Control, Harris County Hazmat, and CTEH, were deployed to monitor the air quality in the vicinity. Their reports indicated no detection of hazardous chemicals within the community, providing some relief to concerned residents.
Despite the all-clear from environmental agencies, local authorities acknowledged the presence of an odor in the area. The Deer Park Office of Emergency Management sought to reassure the public, emphasizing that while the smell might be noticeable, it posed no immediate danger to the community.
PEMEX had earlier announced that it would be conducting work that could cause flaring, a common practice in refineries to burn off excess gases. It remains unclear if this planned work was directly related to the incident that led to the fatal leak.
The Harris County Sheriff's Office provided a sobering update on the human cost of the accident. They reported that 35 PEMEX employees were triaged at the scene, with two confirmed fatalities. The majority of mutual aid resources have since been released, but the sheriff's office will continue its investigation into the cause and circumstances of the leak.
This incident serves as a stark reminder of the potential dangers associated with industrial facilities handling hazardous materials. It underscores the importance of rigorous safety protocols and the need for constant vigilance in maintaining and operating such facilities.
The chemical leak at the PEMEX oil refinery in Deer Park, Texas, resulted in two deaths and injuries to at least 35 workers. The incident occurred during maintenance work on a flange, leading to a release of hydrogen sulfide gas. While environmental monitoring has shown no ongoing threat to the community, the tragedy has prompted a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the fatal accident.
