New evacuation order for city hit by petrochemical plant explosions
Authorities have issued a second evacuation order in a week for residents of a city in the U.S. state of Texas after an explosion and fire at a petrochemical plant.
Officials issued the order late on Wednesday in Port Neches after air monitors detected elevated levels of a cancer-causing petrochemical produced at the TPC Group facility that was struck by the blaze and blast.
The fire at the 218-acre (88-hectare) plant, which was put out on Tuesday after burning for six days, had earlier prompted the evacuation of about 60,000 residents from several cities in southeast Texas.
Air monitors on Wednesday posted elevated levels of butadiene, a cancer-causing chemical. The plant makes flammable chemicals used in the production of synthetic rubber and a gasoline additive.
Schools were closed for the rest of the week, officials said. Schools in Port Neches and nearby Groves had reopened on Tuesday.
TPC Group did not immediately respond to requests for information on the butadiene emissions.
The latest evacuation, issued by the City of Port Neches and Jefferson County Judge Branick, replaced a shelter-in-place ordered earlier on Wednesday.
Elevated butadiene levels had been measured in some parts of the city and could cause dizziness, nausea, headaches, irritated eyes and throat, the statement said. They did not pose a serious health risk, or a flammability or explosion risk, it said.
A local temporary shelter for residents was re-established, the statement added.
TPC Group’s Port Neches plant suffered a fire after an explosion on Nov. 27 that injured three workers. Officials have not determined the cause of the explosion and fire, which began in a butadiene processing unit.
Reporting by Erwin Seba and Sumita Layek; Editing by Richard Pullin and Timothy Heritage
News Release # 16-Voluntary Evacuation Issued
Beaumont, Texas – As of 10:00 p.m. this evening, based on current conditions and out of an abundance of caution, Jefferson County Judge Jeff Branick issued a voluntary evacuation order for the City of Port Neches, updating the previous shelter-in-place order issued earlier this evening for the area.
The voluntary evacuation order will remain in effect until further notice. Unified Command is continuously monitoring air in the community and will provide an update once an all clear is given.
Updates and information will be posted on the web at www.portnechesresponse.com, on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/portneches.response.1 and on Twitter at PortNechesUC.
The voluntary evacuation order impacts residents living within the City of Port Neches. It is recommended you leave the area as quickly and safely as possible as a protective action. The people who are exempt from evacuation orders include nursing homes, refining facilities, patients in the hospital and healthcare workers
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