Texas Chemical Plant Explosion Forces 50,000 People Away From Their Homes

The fire continued to rage at a local chemical plant in East Texas, a day after two massive explosions took place, forcing authorities to keep a mandatory evacuation order in place as a precaution.

More than 50,000 people in the vicinity of the TPC Group plant in Port Neches, about 80 miles east of Houston were forced to spend Thanksgiving away from their homes after mandatory evacuation orders remained in place. According to Jefferson County Sheriff Zena Stephens, the evacuation orders are in place due to the ongoing danger from flames, explosions, and debris.

"It’s Thanksgiving, a lot of people are displaced, they can’t go home,” Stephens told TV station KFDM, adding that there were no lingering issues with the air quality near the plant.

Jefferson County Judge Jeff Branick said that the fire will be allowed to burn at the plant in an effort to depressurize its pumping and storage systems. Branick had earlier said that a loss of power at the plant prevented any investigation into the cause of the explosions or how much damage was done to the facility. The plant manufactures butadiene and other chemicals used in synthetic rubber, fuels, lubricant additives, and plastics, USA Today reported.

TPC Group and government officials released a joint statement Thursday, which said that the air quality results around Port Neches showed “no actionable levels” above state and federal standards.

There is currently no word on when the residents who live within a four-mile radius from the plant will be allowed to return home. However, the evacuation order will be reassessed by officials on Friday morning. Port Neches Mayor Glenn Johnson said he was cautiously optimistic about the residents being able to return to their homes by the weekend.

The initial explosion took place at 1 a.m. on Wednesday, injuring three workers at the plant and shattering glasses and window panes of homes and businesses for miles. A second blast took place shortly before 2 p.m., ripping through the plant and shooting a steel reactor tower high into the sky.

The second blast prompted the authorities to put a mandatory evacuation order covering a 4-mile radius including Port Neches along with neighboring Groves, Nederland and a portion of Port Arthur.

“We’re staying focused on the safety of our emergency response personnel folks in and around in the community as well as trying to protect the environment,” Troy Monk, TPC’s director of health, safety and security, said.

TPC officials said that all 30 workers who were at the plant during the blast were accounted for. The company has 175 full-time employees and 50 contract workers. A spokesperson for TPC Group said that they will launch an investigation into the cause of the explosions.