Fire Burns at Exxon Plant in Baytown

Exxon emergency crews are working to isolate and contain a fire at its plant in Baytown, Texas.

Firefighters are working to put out a fire that began on the 31^st July at an ExxonMobil plant in Baytown, Texas.

Exxon first posted on Twitter that a fire had occurred at the company’s Baytown Olefins Plant and the company’s fire team was working to extinguish the fire.

Exxon said that the fire was in the unit containing polypropylene material. The unit which was affected processed light hydrocarbons including propane and propylene.

The City of Baytown issued a “Shelter in Place” for areas west of the Exxon plant and south of Spur 330. Essentially, this means residents should remain indoors, seal the room and turn off air conditioning.

Exxon tweeted earlier that care was being provided for six people who sustained non-life-threatening injuries in the fire.

During an afternoon press conference, an Exxon spokesperson said 37 people sustained non-life-threatening injuries in the fire, which he described as minor, first-degree burns.

The company is also working to shut down units to isolate the source of the fire.

Exxon said it was a propane and propylene mixture which was burning.

Exxon, the City of Baytown and other agencies are conducting air monitoring. At the time, there are no adverse or environmental effects from the fire, Exxon said.

“At this time, it is difficult to gauge the full impact of the fire on the greater ExxonMobil Baytown complex,” John Maselli, senior research analyst for Wood Mackenzie said in a statement.

“The duration and magnitude of the market impact will be determined by the extent of the damage and what units and chemical value chains are affected.”

Wood Mackenzie estimates about 45 percent of ExxonMobil’s installed USA chemical capacity is in Baytown.

Source: Rigzone