STORM2K

Huge explosion at BP plant in Texas City. Windows blown out 7 miles away. Lifeflight on the way to scene. Injuries reported. 4 fatalaties confirmed at this time by BP. 1800 workers on site at plant. Aerial views from choppers show major damage to buildings and vehicles besides the unit where the explosion occurred.

Will post more as available and able.

I was listening to stuff about the Schiavo case on Bill O'Reilly on KHOW (in Colorado) so I didn't know about this until my best friend called from the main hospital. She said a nurse she works with said she felt it. Then my best friend saw it on the news in a patient's room and called me to tell me I was slipping on my news coverage. (The situation, of course, isn't funny...just that I'm such a news freak and hadn't heard about it first).

Apparently, the wind is blowing predominantly from the north. The BP plant is just across the ship channel, north of UTMB and Galveston. So, I'm sure we're keeping an eye on it here at work.

There are still active flames, according to the reporter on the live feed from ABC13.

What's hardest is that a number of my coworkers live in TC and drive over the causeway to Galveston to work. Their kids go to school in TC and we have satellite clinics there. They're all sheltered in place for now.

10 ambulances in route to UTMB now. Four confirmed fatalities, like you said, David. (ABC13 is usually on the ball...but KHOU-2 is reporting 4, KTRK-13 is not).

John Lee with the Galveston emergency management (search) office said people living nearby were warned to stay inside.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,151302,00.html

It's sad to say but let's hope this is just an industrial accident. Please keep us updated folks.

Will do, but it's hard. Our network is running slower than Grandma Moses now because everyone is watching the news online and emailing and calling family on the phones (understandable, of course, but it slows everything down).

I'm sure it's just industrial, not terrorism-related. The same plant had an incident last year on March 30. (ETA - http://www.click2houston.com/news/2962367/detail.html )

terrible accident

HWY 146 is closed, FM 519 is closed and FM 1765 is closed, I-45 has a major traffic back up.

FAA has ordered a 10 mile flight restriction over Texas City and the Houston Ship Channel was closed down, but is now back open.

Galveston and Harris County OEM has been activated. BP is reporting this is a Level 3 hazmat situation out of 5.

jeff wrote:HWY 146 is closed, FM 519 is closed and FM 1765 is closed, I-45 has a major traffic back up.

FAA has ordered a 10 mile flight restriction over Texas City and the Houston Ship Channel was closed down, but is now back open.

Galveston and Harris County OEM has been activated. BP is reporting this is a Level 3 hazmat situation out of 5.

Out of 4, isn't it?

From UTMB website:

Explosion at BP Refinery
UPDATED: 2:15 p.m.
At about 1:20 p.m. today, a large explosion occurred at the BP plant in Texas City. Emergency crews are on site, working to contain and assess the situation. Texas City schools are “sheltering in place” until more information is available and are not allowing parents in or children out. UTMB emergency medical teams have upgraded to "Disaster Mode" to render whatever assistance may be required.

Shortly after the explosion the Alert Level for the explosion was deemed a "Level 3."

Alert levels used for incidents at Texas City chemical plants:

Level 1 — The situation is under control. The incident is confined to a small area or to a fixed site and does not pose an immediate threat to life or property.

Level 2 — The situation is not under control but is confined. The incident is confined to a small area or to a fixed site and does not pose a threat of spreading to a larger area.

Level 3 — The situation is not under control and protective action may be necessary for the surrounding area. Additional Industrial Mutual Aid System assistance may be needed. An incident involving a greater hazard or a larger area, which poses a potential threat to life or property and which may require a limited evacuation of the surrounding area. Requires police to quarantine the area.

Level 4 — An incident involving severe hazard or a large area, which poses an extreme threat to like and property and will probably require a large-scale evacuation; or an incident requiring the expertise and resources of the IMAS, neighboring cities, county, state, federal or private agencies and organizations.

Telephone call volumes are extremely high on campus and in Galveston. Please limit calls to those that are important to ensure emergency calls can continue to get through.

Several roads in the Texas City area are closed to traffic.

We will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates as they become available.

NOT GOOD!!!

Looks like it, media was saying 5, but it must be 4

Texas City has a history of big explosions. If I recall correctly in the 1940's they had a ship carrying Ammonium Nitrate (the same stuff McVeigh used in OKC) blow up in Port with major damage and horrendous casualties.

Steve

Update -- 25 patients taken to Mainland Medical Center, 10 from residential areas. 4 so far brought to UTMB. (Not sure what happened to the 10 I heard about earlier.)

GalvestonDuck wrote:Will do, but it's hard. Our network is running slower than Grandma Moses now because everyone is watching the news online and emailing and calling family on the phones (understandable, of course, but it slows everything down).

I'm sure it's just industrial, not terrorism-related. The same plant had an incident last year on March 30. (ETA - http://www.click2houston.com/news/2962367/detail.html )

I remember that one well. I watched news coverage on the internet for over an hour.

Terrible accident today.

Can anyone throw an update my way? I can't get to the local news sites now because everyone (*raises hand* Guilty!) and their brother was watching online earlier and now UTMB has blocked news sites.

Network Traffic Requires Media Block

In order to help preserve the integrity, performance, and functionality of the UTMB network, Information Services – Network and Security Services will be temporarily blocking local news sites that provide streaming video (i.e., KTRK, KHOU and other such sites).

We regret any inconvenience this may cause.

Over 100 injured

60 taken to mainland hospital (expecting 12-14 more), 23 to UTMB in Galveston.

14 to Clear Creek regional.

Memorial Herman has all lifeflight helicopters active

This is the latest from Channel 2

http://www.click2houston.com/news/4311459/detail.html

4 Die In Massive Explosion At Texas City Refinery
29 People Injured

POSTED: 1:39 pm CST March 23, 2005
UPDATED: 4:41 pm CST March 23, 2005

TEXAS CITY, Texas -- A massive explosion and fire erupted at a Texas City refinery Wednesday afternoon, resulting in at least four deaths and dozens of injuries. It also destroyed buildings and vehicles, and sent a plume of thick, black smoke hundreds of feet into the air.


The blast happened at 1:20 p.m. at the BP Amoco petrochemical plant, located at 2401 5th St. It occurred in a gasoline refinery area of the plant, officials told Local 2.

The explosion and fire left a lot of destruction and rubble at the plant, including a row of vehicles destroyed by flames, as well as buildings blown apart and leveled.


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SLIDESHOW: See Pictures Of Explosion
SLIDESHOW: Close-Up Pictures Of Blast Scene
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In addition to the four deaths, at least 29 people were injured.

Hospital officials said the injuries range from burns, to scrapes, scratches, contusions, as well as broken arms and broken legs.

Two people are listed in critical condition and one victim is in serious condition. Lifeflight helicopters transported two of the victims.


All of the injuries involve workers at the refinery.

Search and rescue teams are still looking for victims under the debris. Company officials said their primary focus is to ensure that all employees are accounted for.

"We're deeply shocked and we're trying to do as much as we can to take care of the situation and get the information to the people we need to. It's a terrible day," said Neil Chapman, with BP Public Affairs.

An information hot line was set up for families of employees at (409) 945-1400.

"Our concern right now is for the families of those injured and families of those involved in the incident," said Don Parus, with BP Amoco Texas City. "At this time, it's unclear what happened. The fire was contained to the isomerization unit. This unit improves the octane of gasoline. It was contained to that single unit."

A shelter-in-place order was issued for nearby residents for about an hour, officials told Local 2

Residents called Local 2 to say that the explosion rattled and broke windows.

"I was in my house on Tiki Island and it shook the house," said Mark Jackson. "I walked out my back door and saw the smoke."

Jackson lives about five miles from the blast location.


"I heard this big explosion. The whole building shook. Things were coming off the walls and we knew that something exploded. It's just been chaotic around here with everything," said Dianne Barnett, who works across the street from the refinery. "Our scaffolding fell."

The shelter-in-place order issued for nearby residents and schools in the Texas City Independent School District was lifted at about 2:15 p.m.

"We will stay on schedule as much as we can, but the buses could be running late because of the situation," said Melissa Toreorici, of the Texas City ISD.

On March 30, several explosions rocked the same facility. Officials said that fire started in a furnace.

The BP Amoco plant is the largest in Texas City with 1,200 acres. The facility has 1,800 employees.

Galveston County ME reporting 12-20 deaths as of 600pm.

109 injured

Well there goes the price of gas through the roof people.

http://galvestondailynews.com/texasstor ... 3fd07161a3


A breakdown of the injuries after Texas City BP blast

By The Associated Press
The Associated Press

Published March 24, 2005

Here's a look at the patients treated at hospitals following Wednesday's explosion and fire at the Texas City oil refinery:

_ Mainland Medical Center in Texas City, 60 or so treated. All in stable condition except one, who was sent to a Houston hospital.

_ University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, 22 treated. Three in critical condition, three in serious condition, 16 in fair condition.

_ Clear Lake Regional Medical Center in Webster, 23 treated. All are in stable condition.



Copyright © 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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