USA: Chemical Fire Wide-Ranging Evacuation after Explosions in Texan TPC Plant

At 1:00 a.m. last Wednesday an explosion occurred at the TPC Group's plant in Port Neches. A second explosion shook the Texas community 13 hours later - miraculously, no fatalities occurred.

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Port Neches/USA - A massive explosion at TPC's chemical plant in Port Neches has had far-reaching consequences for local residents. About 60,000 people had to be evacuated due to the development of smoke and the danger of more explosions. The plant produces petrochemicals that are used to manufacture rubber and synthetic resins. According to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), the volatile organic compounds in the smoke can cause eye, nose and throat irritation, shortness of breath, headaches and nausea.

According to the operator, there were 30 people on the site at the time of the accident. Despite the scale of the explosions, there were no fatalities. Three people suffered fractures and burns, but have since been released from medical care.

The incident occurred on a tank of processed butadiene. The company has not yet been able to determine the cause of the accident. It is also unclear how the accident affected the infrastructure and how long the plant will be shut down.

The 218 acre site produces butadiene and raffinate. The combined production capacity of the plant is more than 450,000 tonnes per year.

The explosions were filmed by numerous eyewitnesses and news channels. Residents report massive destruction of homes and a school.

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