Massive Fire Burns For Hours At Texas Chemical Distribution Company
HARRIS COUNTY (CBSDFW.COM/AP) — It took hours, but a massive fire at a chemical warehouse in Texas, that forced shelter-in-place orders for two nearby neighborhoods, is finally out.
A dense column of thick, black smoke was visible for miles as the fire burned in the Channelview area at a warehouse owned by K-Solv, chemical distribution company.
The fire started as a chemical product was being transferred from one container into another, said Mikie Sopczak, K-Solv's director of environmental health, safety, and security.
Harris County officials say the fire involved such toxic chemicals as toluene, xylene, triethanolamine and monoethanolaminealcohol, but air monitors detected no unsafe air pollution levels. Company officials said all runoff was contained, and no waterways were contaminated.
No workers were injured in the fire, which was declared extinguished around 7 p.m. Wednesday, officials said.
The Harris County Sheriff's Office had closed at least four streets near the facility near the Houston Ship Channel, and residents of nearby neighborhoods were advised to shelter in place as a precaution while firefighters attacked the blaze. The advisory later was lifted.
Channelview is 15 miles east of Houston.
(© Copyright 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)