Chinanews.com, November 11 According to NBC, on the morning of November 9, local time, an explosion occurred at a chemical plant in Texas, USA, causing a fire, and a large amount of black smoke rushed into the sky. After the explosion, local officials evacuated a nearby private school and warned residents and businesses to shelter in place and turn off air conditioning systems. At present, local air monitoring is still ongoing.
Image source: Screenshot of NBC report
According to reports, the plant where the explosion occurred is about an hour's drive from Houston. As a result of the accident, an employee suffered burns, who is being treated at the district hospital.
After the explosion, a huge cloud of black mushrooms could be seen rising into the air at the scene.
Image source: Screenshot of ABC report
A nearby private school was evacuated and 31 children were moved to a nearby building, the report said. A portion of U.S. Highway 59 was also shut down, and people within a five-mile radius of the plant were instructed to stay indoors, the county's emergency management office said. Officials later reduced shelter-in-place orders to within a one-mile radius.
Emergency measures have also been issued in several counties and cities near the explosion plant. The Polk County Office of Emergency Management said the plant that exploded contained toxic chemicals known to cause "acute toxicity, carcinogenicity and reproductive toxicity and may cause serious eye damage or eye irritation, skin corrosion or irritation, inhalation hazards and organ toxicity."
The San Jacinto County Emergency Management Office said at a press conference that afternoon that the fire is now under control and that ongoing monitoring has not found any chemicals in the air.