Fire at Shell chemical plant in Deer Park injures 9

HARRIS COUNTY, TX — Nine people were hospitalized Friday night after a major fire at Shell Chemicals Warehouse in Deer Park, reports Click2Houston.

The fire broke out at the warehouse located on Center Street near Highway 255, and was first reported by the Harris County Sheriff’s Office at 3:17 p.m. Members of the HCSO’s industrial team and the Harris County Fire Marshall’s Office were called to the scene.

According to a press release from Shell, the blaze broke out in the facility’s olefins unit after a heat exchange between “cracked heavy gas oil, cracked light gas oil, and gasoline.”

We continue to respond to a fire at our Deer Park Chemicals facility. The fire started while the olefins unit was undergoing routine maintenance, igniting cracked heavy gas oil, cracked light gas oil and gasoline. (1/3)

— Shell Deer Park Chemicals (@ShellDeerPark) May 6, 2023

By 5:40 p.m., the flames had been reduced, and crews were working to depressurize the burning product.

Five contract workers were initially transported to a local hospital for heat exposure. Several other workers later went to the hospital for precautionary measures.

Shell reported that a total of nine workers were evaluated at the hospital and have since been released. All site personnel have also been accounted for.

Though minor flares and dark smoke were still seen in the area hours later, city officials did not enforce a Shelter-in-Place.

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