2 dead, at least 35 injured after chemical release at Deer Park refinery, officials say

DEER PARK, Texas (KTRK) — Authorities have confirmed that two people died and at least 35 were injured after a chemical leak at a Pemex facility on Thursday evening.

Officials at the Pemex facility in the 5900 block of Highway 225 told ABC13 around 6:18 p.m. that they were “dealing with an emergency” that began at 4:40 p.m., according to a statement issued hours later.

The chemical, hydrogen sulfide, is a colorless gas known for its pungent “rotten egg” odor at low concentrations. It is extremely flammable and highly toxic and can cause mild headaches, eye irritation, unconsciousness and death, even at low concentrations.

At a news conference Thursday night, Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said authorities are working to determine if there are more deaths.

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Eyewitness News saw several ambulances responding and two Life Flight helicopters on standby. SkyEye was on the active scene as Harris County hazard response crews were on the job.

Officials in Pasadena and Deer Park lifted the city’s shelter-in-place orders after Harris County Pollution Control completed air monitoring in the area and no longer detected hazardous chemicals in the air.

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Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo shared the following statement:
“I am aware of the chemical leak at the Pemex plant in Deer Park. At this time there are reports of at least one death and multiple injuries at the plant, and my heart goes out to their families and loved ones. The Harris County The Harris County Fire Department and Pollution Control Services are on scene to assist and monitor the air. & Emergency Management stands by for any additional assistance requested. Our primary concern is to ensure that the leak has been stopped and that the leaked materials do not affect county residents. We will send more updates as we receive them.”

Pemex is a refinery that processes crude oil from several countries. They produce a range of products including gasoline, jet fuel, diesel fuel and marine fuel.

An hour and a half after announcing the emergency, Pemex officials issued the following statement:

“PEMEX Deer Park confirms that a gas release was reported at one of our operating units at 4:40 p.m. The incident is contained to our site and has been contained. Members of our emergency response team , Channel Industrial Mutual Aid (CIMA) and Harris County emergency management personnel and other government agencies are on scene and responding to the situation.

Our main concerns are ensuring the safety of all involved and protecting the facilities. State Highway 225 has been temporarily closed as a precaution. Some members of the community may see a flare while we safely contain the situation. We are closely monitoring air quality and do not detect any off-site impacts. We have no additional details at this time. We will provide an update when more information becomes available.”

Visit the Pamex website to read the company’s Spanish chemical release statement.

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