A fire at BP’s Texas City refinery broke out today at 1:30 p.m. Officials with the Texas City Office of Emergency Management were alerted to this hydrocarbon fire shortly after 1:40 p.m. and BP fire crews were called to the scene. No calls for further assistance have been made.
Workers inside the residual hydro treating unit of the plant were evacuated and all workers of this unit have been accounted for. No injuries have been reported at this time.
According to Texas City officials, the fire is not expected to significantly impact the city. The BP refinery declared the fire a Level 2 Emergency, which indicates that it has not had significant impact on the city but has the potential to be harmful. A shelter-in-place order has not been issued, but the residents have been altered of the situation.
“The unit produces a lot of heat and a lot of smoke, and that’s why you see it,” said Bruce Clawson with the Texas City Office of Emergency Management. “It’s going to be a tough fire. It’s almost like a tar-like substance that’s burning, so it’s going to be tough to put out.”
Officials are currently monitoring the air near the plant while firefighters actively battle the flames. The cause of the fire has not been determined.
If you or someone you know has been injured by an oil refinery fire, contact the attorneys at Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Agosto, Aziz & Stogner by calling (713) 222-7211 or 713-222-7211.