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Fiery Explosion Rips Through Chemical Plant After Apparent Mechanical Malfunction at Facility Emergency personnel responded to what is described as “fiery” Kuraray plant explosion in Pasadena late on Saturday morning. According to emergency personnel at the scene of the explosion and fire, at least 21 workers were injured and evacuated to area hospitals. Due to the nature of their injuries, two workers needed to be airlifted to area medical centers. At this time, the 21 workers sent to the hospital…

Explosion, Fire at Pasadena’s Kuraray America EVAL Plant Injures 21 Workers Ethylene gas leak quickly contained and posed no danger to Pasadena-area residents, said emergency management officials Previous posts on this site have covered recent explosions and fires in oil refineries located in Texas City TX and Superior WI. However, manufacturing plants that use chemical byproducts that are produced in the refining process are often located close to refineries and may pose significant risks related to industrial accidents that may…

Initial Explosion Ripped Through Gasoline Creation Unit A week after a Wisconsin oil refinery explosion, investigators and company officials are finally releasing essential information related to the cause of the accident. They jointly released a statement that indicates the initial explosion at the Husky Energy refinery in Superior, Wisconsin, occurred in the fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) unit. This information was confirmed by the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board. The FCC unit is the part of a refinery in…

An explosion and fire at the Valero refinery in Texas City produced a cloud of black smoke that was visible for miles but, at least initially, there were no reports of injuries or deaths at the facility. With a capacity of 225,000 barrels per day, the refinery is a major contributor to Valero’s chain of retail fuel centers/convenience stores throughout Texas and the southwest. According to Texas City sources, the fire occurred at around 3 o’clock on Thursday afternoon, and…

In the mid-afternoon of April 19, 2018, an explosion and fire at the Valero Refinery in Texas City shook buildings at up to a mile away and sent a plume of black smoke into the sky. Observers in the area reported that the smoke was visible for several miles in all directions. According to Texas City Emergency Management and management at the Valero refinery, there was no shelter in place order issued for areas outside the refinery although refinery workers…