LyondellBasell Fire at Bayport Choate Plant in Pasadena, Texas

On the evening of Thursday, March 12, 2026, a fire broke out at LyondellBasell's Bayport Choate chemical plant, located at 10801 Choate Road in Pasadena, Texas. The La Porte Office of Emergency Management confirmed that the city's fire department was among the agencies responding to the scene.

According to ABC13, two large fuel tanks at the facility were on fire. Multiple agencies responded to the site, including the La Porte Fire Department, Pasadena Fire Department, Channel Industry Mutual Aid (CIMA), Harris County HAZMAT, Pollution Control, and Harris County OEM. The Harris County Fire Marshal's Office also dispatched its hazmat team.

LyondellBasell acknowledged the incident in a statement, confirming that a fire had been reported at the Bayport Choate site at approximately 9 p.m. CT. The company stated that its emergency response personnel had been activated and that appropriate authorities had been notified.

Earlier in the evening, the facility had issued a Community Awareness Emergency Response (CAER) alert describing the situation as "operational conditions" that had resulted in flaring. A subsequent CAER message, posted around 10:15 p.m., upgraded the situation to an "operational upset," noting that the community might hear emergency sirens or rumbling noises and see emergency vehicles, bright flames, or smoke.

As of this writing, it remains unclear what caused the fire or whether any injuries have occurred. The La Porte Office of Emergency Management stated that no action was required from the community.

This is a developing story. We will update this page as more information becomes available.

What Is the LyondellBasell Bayport Choate Site?

The Bayport Choate facility is a large-scale chemical manufacturing plant that produces propylene oxide, propylene glycol, propylene glycol ether, tertiary butyl alcohol, high-purity isobutylene, and related compounds. These materials are used to make paint, coatings, automotive parts, personal care products, antifreeze, and home furnishings, among other consumer goods. According to LyondellBasell, the site is the largest POTBA facility in the world based on production volume.

The chemicals manufactured at facilities like this one are integral to daily life, but the processes involved in producing them carry inherent risks. Propylene oxide, one of the plant's primary products, is a highly flammable and reactive substance. Workers and surrounding communities depend on strict operational controls and maintenance protocols to keep those risks in check.

LyondellBasell's Safety Record

While the cause and circumstances of tonight's fire at the Bayport Choate site remain unknown, LyondellBasell has faced serious safety incidents at other facilities in the Houston area in recent years.

In July 2021, a fatal chemical release at the company's La Porte Complex, a separate facility located at 1515 Miller Cut-Off Road in La Porte, killed two contract workers, injured more than 30 others, and caused an estimated $40 million in property damage. The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) investigated and determined that the inadvertent removal of pressure-retaining components from a valve caused the release of nearly 75,000 kilograms of an acetic acid mixture. The CSB found that the workers involved had not been provided adequate procedures or training for the maintenance task they were performing.

That same month, a separate LyondellBasell plant in Sulphur, Louisiana released heavy black smoke following a power outage, and a chemical leak at the company's Houston Refinery was identified as the source of headaches and nausea reported by residents of Galena Park. These were three distinct incidents at three different LyondellBasell facilities within a matter of weeks.

Why Industrial Fires Require Scrutiny

When a chemical plant reports an "operational upset" and a fire is actively burning, the surrounding community deserves clear answers about what went wrong, what materials are involved, and what risks may exist for workers and residents. The Houston Ship Channel corridor is home to one of the highest concentrations of petrochemical infrastructure in the country. The people who live and work near these facilities bear a disproportionate share of the risk when something goes wrong.

Every industrial fire warrants a thorough, independent investigation. Workers at these facilities trust that their employers are maintaining equipment, following safety protocols, and prioritizing human life over production schedules. When that trust is broken, the consequences can be devastating.

Our thoughts are with the workers, first responders, and community members affected by tonight's incident. We will continue monitoring the situation and provide updates as more information becomes available.