A large fire at the industrial plant along State Highway 225 caused heavy smoke and sent nine people to the hospital in Deer Park.Crews continued their response to the Shell Deer Park facility fire late Friday night as the once-raging flames died down into the evening.
Authorities initially said some type of "explosion" unfolded at the plant, but later corrected it to only a fire emergency.Deer Park Mayor Jerry Mouton told ABC13 over the phone that this was an oil and gas fire from a leak, and that what was burning was "burnt carbon," which he said is safe for the community.
The Harris County Sheriff's Office said five contractors were transported to the hospital for precautionary reasons, largely due to the heat. Officials added three more people to that count after they self-transported to Memorial Hermann Southeast. By late Friday, Shell added one more person to those treated."His face is red hot. The oil and steam splashed him," Pablo Jasso, whose son was admitted, said.
The district said the incident did not affect school dismissal for its students, who were let out for the day as normal.