close
close
cegivel

Texas chemical spill at Pemex Deer Park: 2 dead, 35 injured

Monicel
Texas chemical spill at Pemex Deer Park: 2 dead, 35 injured

to play

At least two people have died and nearly three dozen others were injured after a chemical leak at an oil refinery on Thursday prompted a shelter-in-place order in two East Texas cities, they said the officials

The leak occurred at Pemex Deer Park, about 18 miles east of Houston, the Harris County Sheriff’s Office said.

The department notified officers and the Deer Park Fire Department responded to the facility at 5:23 p.m. local time for a report of a leak of hydrogen sulfide, a colorless gas with a strong odor.

The facility where the incident occurred was a refinery that processes crude oil to produce gasoline and other fuels.

Officials announced a shelter-in-place order for Deer Park and Pasadena following the leak.

Map of Florida power outages: Nearly 2 million without power amid landfall from Hurricane Milton

The Pemex chemical leak leaves 2 dead, 35 treated for injuries

In their initial alert Thursday, officials reported several people were injured and one died in a chemical incident.

In an update Thursday night, the sheriff’s office announced that two people had died and 35 people had received medical treatment in connection with the leak. The agency also said a shelter-in-place order had been lifted at the site.

PEMEX Deer Park said a “gas release at one of its operating units” was reported at 4:40 p.m., ABC News reported.

The cause of the leak remained under investigation Friday, and the extent of the injuries suffered by the people was not immediately released by officials.

USA TODAY reached out to Pemex and Deer Park Mayor Jerry Mouton.

What is hydrogen sulfide?

Hydrogen sulfide is a highly toxic and flammable gas that contains an unpleasant odor that best resembles the smell of rotten eggs, according to the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

Produced naturally by the bacterial decomposition of organic matter, it is found in wastewater, natural gas and volcanic gases.

The gas is typically used in oil and gas refining, mining, tanning and paper processing. Its presence makes working in confined spaces potentially dangerous, in part because it is heavier than air, the agency warns.

The chemical leak remains under investigation

The incident remained under investigation by the sheriff’s office Friday morning, the agency said.

Earlier Thursday, officials lifted the shelter in place at 9:30 p.m. after receiving air monitoring reports from Harris County Pollution Control, the fire office’s hazardous materials response team of Harris County and the CTEH, the sheriff’s office said.

“We are aware of the odor, but there is no danger to the community,” the City of Deer Park posted on social media. “Thank you for your patience.”

Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Contact her at [email protected] and follow her at X @nataliealund.

Related Posts