On Wednesday, a fire erupted at Exxon Mobil’s baytown facility, one of the largest ethylene plants in the world. However, the fire was curtailed by evening and no adverse effects on the environment were reported.
Texas/USA – The Exxon Mobil Olefins facility in Baytown, Texas witnessed an explosion on Wednesday July 31, 2019 following which a fire broke out at about 11:07 AM local time. Media reports state that the blaze occurred in a polypropylene recovery unit where plastic is purified for production. The fire was successfully extinguished by evening at one of the largest ethylene plants in the world. The Baytown complex is also one of the largest refining and petrochemical complexes across the globe.
The incident left residents bewildered as they were unsure of the air quality in the region however, by afternoon city officials confirmed that there was nothing to worry about. As a precautionary measure, Exxon Mobil also monitored the site for air quality and gave a clean chit. About 66 employees and contractors were also taken for a check up where some of them received first aid. The cause of the fire is still being investigated.
A day after the incident, Harris County, the county in which Baytown is located, filed a lawsuit against Exxon Mobil which stated that the fire resulted in the emission of multiple air pollutants, including propylene, LPG, propane, and associated products of combustion. Currently, Exxon Mobil is reviewing the lawsuit and will take appropriate action on the matter.
