Explosion & Fire Reported at Industrial Plant Near Deer Park

A massive fire has broken out following an explosion at the Shell chemical plant located near Deer Park situated in the 5900 block of SH-225 on the Houston Ship Channel.

Smoke could be seen billowing from the site and small flares have been spotted across the premises. Six people have been injured.

According to the ongoing investigation, the facility delayed maintenance, which could be a cause of the initial blast. The blaze began in the heat exchanger at Olefins Plant 3, a section of the plant that produces chemicals like propylene, ethylene, and butadiene. These chemicals are commonly used as the building blocks of plastic.

Both the Harris County Fire Marshal and the Harris County Sheriff's Office responded quickly to the incident. Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez shared on social media, "Receiving preliminary reports of some type of explosion at an industrial plant at 5900 SH-225. Responding units can see fire from the freeway. [The Harris County Fire Marshal’s Office] & [the Harris County Sheriff’s Office] industrial team have begun coordinating."

The investigation is ongoing and our plant accident attorneys are following this incident closely.