Towering flames and plumes of jet black smoke poured from the flooded Arkema plant in Crosby as volatile chemicals exploded late Friday afternoon.
One container caught fire, and the heat from that fire ignited a second container about 25 feet away, said Arkema executive Richard Rennard. The dramatic display was the latest chapter of a chemical disaster, caused, in part, by floodwaters from Hurricane Harvey.
HIDDEN DANGER: Chemical facilities face danger during Harvey shutdowns
1of 128 Smoke lingers over the Arkema plant after another fire at the facility Friday, Sept. 1, 2017. Mark Mulligan/Mark Mulligan / Houston Chronicle Show More Show Less
2of 128 Smoke lingers over the Arkema plant after another fire at the facility Friday, Sept. 1, 2017. Mark Mulligan/Mark Mulligan / Houston Chronicle Show More Show Less
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4of 128 Smoke lingers over Crosby, TX after an earlier fire at the Arkema chemical facility Friday, Sept. 1, 2017. Mark Mulligan/Mark Mulligan / Houston Chronicle Show More Show Less
5of 128 Smoke lingers over Crosby, TX after an earlier fire at the Arkema chemical facility Friday, Sept. 1, 2017. Mark Mulligan/Mark Mulligan / Houston Chronicle Show More Show Less
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7of 128 A consultant who was not authorized to speak to the media uses an air monitoring device in Crosby, TX after another fire at the Arkema chemical facility Friday, Sept. 1, 2017. Mark Mulligan/Mark Mulligan / Houston Chronicle Show More Show Less
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The Arkema chemical plant is flooded from Tropical Storm Harvey Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2017, in Crosby, Texas. Floodwaters from Harvey have knocked out power and generators that keep volatile organic peroxides stored at the facility cool. Employees and about 300 homes within a mile and half radius of the plant were evacuated Tuesday.
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10of 128 Richard Rennard, president of the acrylic monomers division at Arkema, talks to media about the explosion of organic peroxide inside the plant Thursday, Aug. 31, 2017, in Crosby,Texas. Godofredo A. Vasquez/Houston Chronicle Show More Show Less
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13of 128 People and rescue boats line Tidwell at the east Sam Houston Tollway as rescues continue from flooding following Hurricane Harvey Monday, Aug. 28, 2017, in Houston. Melissa Phillip/Houston Chronicle Show More Show Less
14of 128 Ron Black walks down a flooded street to get to his house after Tropical Storm Harvey Friday, Sept. 1, 2017 in Sienna Plantation. Michael Ciaglo/Houston Chronicle Show More Show Less
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16of 128 A boat sits in a driveway after Tropical Storm Harvey Friday, Sept. 1, 2017 in Sienna Plantation. Michael Ciaglo/Houston Chronicle Show More Show Less
17of 128 Mailboxes are inundated by Brazos River flooding along Newlin Drive in Richmond on Friday. Several areas are still dealing with high waters related to Harvey. Michael Ciaglo/Houston Chronicle Show More Show Less
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Floodwaters from the Addicks Reservoir inundate a neighborhood off N. Eldridge Parkway in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Harvey on Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2017, in Houston. ( Brett Coomer / Houston Chronicle )
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20of 128 SPCA employee Lucky Louden loads a cat into a crate as employees and volunteers of the Houston SPCA load up more than 100 adoptable dogs and cats into a truck with the help of the Austin Humane Society and others, Thursday, Aug. 31, 2017, in Houston, to be sent to Atlanta, to make room for an onslaught of animal Tropical Storm Harvey victims. Karen Warren/Houston Chronicle Show More Show Less
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22of 128 Employees and volunteers of the Houston SPCA load up more than 100 adoptable dogs and cats into a truck with the help of the Austin Humane Society and others, Thursday, Aug. 31, 2017, in Houston, to be sent to Atlanta, to make room for an onslaught of animal Tropical Storm Harvey victims. Karen Warren/Houston Chronicle Show More Show Less
23of 128 Mackenzie Breeding, 9, of Tomball carries a bag of clothing past pews filled with diapers, as volunteers organize donations at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, 15415 N. Eldridge, Wednesday, August 30, 2017 in Cypress. More than 120 people were temporarily sheltered at the church during flooding. There is an outpouring of donations after Hurricane Harvey. Melissa Phillip/Houston Chronicle Show More Show Less
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25of 128 Frances Breaux wipes tears from her face after talking to media about her close friends and neighbors Leo and Lajayne Opelia, both in their 70s, whom she hasn’t being able to reach since last night, before the organic peroxides inside the Arkema chemical plant exploded Thursday, Aug. 31, 2017, in Crosby, Texas. The Opelias were mandatorily evacuated from their homes by officials but they decided to sneak back in their home. Godofredo A. Vasquez/Houston Chronicle Show More Show Less
26of 128 Harris County Fire Marshal Assistant Chief Bob Royall , center, and Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez talk to media about the explosion of organic peroxides at th Arkema chemical plant during a press conference outside the Crosby Fire Department Thursday, Aug. 31, 2017, in Crosby, Texas. Fifteen Harris County Sheriff Office deputies that first responded to the fire at the plant were sent to the hospital eight have been released. Godofredo A. Vasquez/Houston Chronicle Show More Show Less
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28of 128 Alen Pogue drags a kayak carrying three pet snakes, leopard gecko, and firearms after returning from his flooded home on Forrest Hollow Drive Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2017, in Baytown, Texas. Godofredo A. Vasquez/Houston Chronicle Show More Show Less
29of 128 Floodwaters from the Addicks Reservoir inundate a neighborhood off N. Eldridge Parkway in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Harvey on Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2017, in Houston. Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle Show More Show Less
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31of 128 Columbia Lakes resident Kyle Butler throws sandbags into a truck bed to help shored up wall from overflowing into their subdivision Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2017, in West Columbia. Steve Gonzales/Houston Chronicle Show More Show Less
32of 128 Floodwaters fill the road running through the Lakes On Eldridge North subdivision in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Harvey on Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2017, in Houston. Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle Show More Show Less
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34of 128 Saltwater Salvage diver Justin Hendrickson prepares to dive near the Columbia Lakes subdivision Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2017, in West Columbia. Hendrickson was walked to the dive spot by fellow diver Dave Oltroge before he dove to shut a levee gate value to prevent more flooding to the neighborhood. Steve Gonzales/Houston Chronicle Show More Show Less
35of 128 Waters levels of Buffalo Bayou have receded near downtown in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Harvey on Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2017, in Houston. Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle Show More Show Less
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37of 128 Floodwaters fill the road running through the Lakes On Eldridge North subdivision in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Harvey on Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2017, in Houston. Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle Show More Show Less
38of 128 Shaqualia Watkins comforts her one-month-old daughter, Kamarii, as she and other evacuees visit the area of NRG Center, where the goods, toys, snacks and clothing where being distributed for the 2500 people sheltering there, who were affected by Tropical Storm Harvey, Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2017, in Houston. Karen Warren/Houston Chronicle Show More Show Less
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40of 128 The Houston Texans gathered their luggage after getting off buses at NRG Stadium, after traveling from Dallas, Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2017, in Houston. Houston flew last week to New Orleans, then to the Dallas area, and was originally scheduled to play the Cowboys at NRG Stadium, but destruction by Hurricane Harvey and flooding from Tropical Storm Harvey. Texans were going to play the game Thursday in Dallas, but the NFL cancelled that game. Karen Warren/Houston Chronicle Show More Show Less
41of 128 Houston Texans J.J. Watt talks on the phone after he and the team got off buses at NRG Stadium, after traveling from Dallas, Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2017, in Houston. Houston flew last week to New Orleans, then to the Dallas area, and was originally scheduled to play the Cowboys at NRG Stadium, but destruction by Hurricane Harvey and flooding from Tropical Storm Harvey. Texans were going to play the game Thursday in Dallas, but the NFL cancelled that game. Karen Warren/Houston Chronicle Show More Show Less
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43of 128 Harris County Sheriff’s Deputy Rick Johnson pauses to listen for people’s voices as they search for people in a neighborhood inundated by water from the Addicks Reservoir, Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2017, in Houston. Jon Shapley/Houston Chronicle Show More Show Less
44of 128 Tiffany Carroll waits anxiously by the entrance to her neighborhood, where water from the Addicks Reservoir has risen quickly, Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2017, in Houston. Jon Shapley/Houston Chronicle Show More Show Less
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46of 128 Mike Stamps in his home in the Kingwood Greens Subdivision flooded from the San Jacinto River due to Tropical Storm Harvey, Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2017, in Kingwood. Stamps was there to retrieve his two cats , who had to be left behind, as he was evacuated on a jet ski Tuesday. Karen Warren/Houston Chronicle Show More Show Less
47of 128 Quinisha Runnels holds her cousin, Mimi Runnels, 2, on a cot at the George R. Brown Convention Center where nearly 10,000 people are taking shelter after Tropical Storm Harvey Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2017 in Houston. Michael Ciaglo/Houston Chronicle Show More Show Less
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49of 128 Shiann Barker holds her nephew, Brayln Matthews Sims Jr., 1, between cots at the George R. Brown Convention Center where nearly 10,000 people are taking shelter after Tropical Storm Harvey Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2017 in Houston. They have ben at the shelter since Sunday after they evacuated from the Clayton Homes neighborhood. Michael Ciaglo/Houston Chronicle Show More Show Less
50of 128 Family members react as a van is pulled out of the Greens Bayou with the bodies of six family members on Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2017, in Houston. The van was carried into the bayou during Tropical Storm Harvey as the water went over the bridge. Elizabeth Conley/Houston Chronicle Show More Show Less
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52of 128 Family members react as a van is pulled out of the Greens Bayou with the bodies of six family members on Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2017, in Houston. The van was carried into the bayou during Tropical Storm Harvey as the water went over the bridge. Elizabeth Conley/Houston Chronicle Show More Show Less
53of 128 Family members react as a van is pulled out of the Greens Bayou with the bodies of six family members on Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2017, in Houston. The van was carried into the bayou during Tropical Storm Harvey as the water went over the bridge. Elizabeth Conley/Houston Chronicle Show More Show Less
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55of 128 Volunteer Paige Atkinson sorts donated clothing at NRG Center, which opened its doors to a capacity of 10,000 evacuees in the wake of Tropical Storm Harvey Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2017 in Houston. Michael Ciaglo/Houston Chronicle Show More Show Less
Houston area was flooded in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey.”>56of 128 Robert Spooner, a US Customs and Border patrol officer, from Tomball, center, and other volunteers work to prepare boats to help people in the Lakewood area along Cypresswood Wednesday, August 30, 2017 in Houston. Much of the Houston area was flooded in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. Melissa Phillip/Houston Chronicle Show More Show Less
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58of 128 Susan Henney tosses wet carpet as she helps her neighbors clean up from flooding in the Lakewood Forest subdivision Wednesday, August 30, 2017 in Houston. Much of the Houston area was flooded in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. Melissa Phillip/Houston Chronicle Show More Show Less
59of 128 Danny Hannon carries his dry cowboy boots in his backpack as he goes to check his home in the Lakewood Crossing subdivision off Cypresswood Wednesday, August 30, 2017 in Houston. He had almost two feet of water the night before inside his home. Much of the Houston area was flooded in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. Melissa Phillip/Houston Chronicle Show More Show Less
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61of 128 People line up to volunteer at NRG Center, which opened its doors to a capacity of 10,000 evacuees in the wake of Tropical Storm Harvey Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2017 in Houston. Michael Ciaglo/Houston Chronicle Show More Show Less
62of 128 Kenny Licona, left, cleans out his flooded out home in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Harvey on Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2017, in Spring, Texas. Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle Show More Show Less
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64of 128 A boat runs past houses flooded by Tropical Storm Harvey on Tuesday in Spring. ( Brett Coomer / Houston Chronicle ) Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle Show More Show Less
65of 128 Volunteers man a food and water line at NRG Center, which opened its doors to a capacity of 10,000 evacuees in the wake of Tropical Storm Harvey Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2017 in Houston. Michael Ciaglo/Houston Chronicle Show More Show Less
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67of 128 A construction crew cleans out Kenny Licona’s flooded out home in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Harvey on Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2017, in Spring, Texas. Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle Show More Show Less
68of 128 People line up to volunteer at NRG Center, which opened its doors to a capacity of 10,000 evacuees in the wake of Tropical Storm Harvey Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2017 in Houston. Michael Ciaglo/Houston Chronicle Show More Show Less
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70of 128 Johnny Colunga feeds his pet monkey “Prince” as they take refuge in the Max Bowl, which was converted to a shelter for those displaced by flooding in Port Arthur. Photo taken Wednesday, August 30, 2017 Kim Brent/The Enterprise Kim Brent/Beaumont Enterprise Show More Show Less
71of 128 A neighborhood is inundated by floodwaters from Tropical Storm Harvey on Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017, in Spring. Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle Show More Show Less
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73of 128 Kathryn Loder sorts donated clothing at George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston as Tropical Storm Harvey inches its way through the area on Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017. Elizabeth Conley/Houston Chronicle Show More Show Less
74of 128 Nathan Gamez, 2, is pulled by his dad, Carlos Herrara after picking up supplies from the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston as Tropical Storm Harvey inches its way through the area on Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017. Elizabeth Conley/Houston Chronicle Show More Show Less
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76of 128 A boat lets off people being evacuated from floodwaters left by Tropical Storm Harvey on Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017, in Houston. Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle Show More Show Less
77of 128 Chris Gutierrez, second from right, helps his grandmother, Edelmira Gutierrez, down the stairs of their flooded house and into a waiting fire department truck as Addicks Reservoir surpasses capacity due to near constant rain from Tropical Storm Harvey Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017 in Houston. Michael Ciaglo/Houston Chronicle Show More Show Less
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79of 128 Volunteer rescuers evacuate people from the Georgetown Colony neighborhood on a Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck, which was used as a prop in the latest Planet of the Apes movie, as Addicks Reservoir surpasses capacity due to near constant rain from Tropical Storm Harvey Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017 in Houston. Michael Ciaglo/Houston Chronicle Show More Show Less
80of 128 Members of the National Guard help evacuees from the Georgetown Colony neighborhood out of a fire department vehicle as Addicks Reservoir surpasses capacity due to near constant rain from Tropical Storm Harvey Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017 in Houston. Michael Ciaglo/Houston Chronicle Show More Show Less
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82of 128 Kevin Johnston, left, navigates his boat between two flooded houses in the Suminski Park neighborhood as Addicks Reservoir nears capacity Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017 in Houston. Michael Ciaglo/Houston Chronicle Show More Show Less
83of 128 Water inundates a Shell station at Telephone Rd. And south Sam Houston Tollway, Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017, in Houston. Mark Mulligan/Houston Chronicle Show More Show Less
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85of 128 Volunteers bring in donations into Lakewood Church now that the church has turned into a shelter for the Tropical Storm Harvey evacuees, Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017, in Houston. ( Marie D. De Jesus / Houston Chronicle ) Marie D. De Jesus/Houston Chronicle Show More Show Less
86of 128 Cilla Padron, from Corpus Christi, takes a nap in the lobby of the SpringHill Suites hotel Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017, in Rosenberg, Texas. Padron and her friends worked most of the previous day helping rescue people from flooded neighborhoods. Godofredo A. Vasquez/Houston Chronicle Show More Show Less
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88of 128 Armando Argueta, who performs as “Kapuchino,” performs a magic trick for children at a Red Cross shelter at W. W. Thorne Stadium, Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017, in Houston. “We wanted to let the children forget what had happened,” his wife Betty said. Jon Shapley/Houston Chronicle Show More Show Less
89of 128 Lauren Durst holds onto her ten-month-old son, Wyatt Durst, as they evacuate from the Savannah Estates neighborhood as Addicks Reservoir nears capacity Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017 in Houston. Michael Ciaglo/Houston Chronicle Show More Show Less
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91of 128 A high water warning sign on Addicks Satsuma Road is covered by flood waters as Addicks Reservoir nears capacity Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017 in Houston. Michael Ciaglo/Houston Chronicle Show More Show Less
92of 128 Stephanie Vu, left, reacts after being rescued after falling in deep water as she evacuates with her parents from the Savannah Estates neighborhood as Addicks Reservoir nears capacity Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017 in Houston. Michael Ciaglo/Houston Chronicle Show More Show Less
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94of 128 A flares at Shell is shown along with other complexes along 146 Tuesday, August 29, 2017 in Deer Park. Several plants shut down due to Hurricane Harvey. Melissa Phillip/Houston Chronicle Show More Show Less
95of 128 Boirs Salazar paddles a surfing board to play in flood water with his brother and a friend at the intersection of Broadway Avenue and 15th Street on Tuesday, August 29, 2017, in Galveston. Yi-Chin Lee/Houston Chronicle Show More Show Less
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97of 128 Grant Braswell, from front, Shayne Hofstetter and John Hall have a good time tubing in flood water at the intersection of Moody Avenue and Postofdice Street on Tuesday, August 29, 2017, in Galveston. Some parts of the downtown section had flood water more than waist-deep. Yi-Chin Lee/Houston Chronicle Show More Show Less
98of 128 People wade through chest deep water down Pine Cliff Drive as Addicks Reservoir nears capacity due to near constant rain from Tropical Storm Harvey Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017 in Houston. Michael Ciaglo/Houston Chronicle Show More Show Less
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100of 128 People wade through chest deep water down Pine Cliff Drive as Addicks Reservoir nears capacity due to near constant rain from Tropical Storm Harvey Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017 in Houston. Michael Ciaglo/Houston Chronicle Show More Show Less
101of 128 A woman carries her dogs as she is evacuated from the Twin Lakes neighborhood with her family as Addicks Reservoir nears capacity due to near constant rain from Tropical Storm Harvey Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017 in Houston. Michael Ciaglo/Houston Chronicle Show More Show Less
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103of 128 Residents of the Cinco Ranch and Kelliwood areas of Ft. Bend and Harris Counties evacuate from the west side of the Barker Reservoir along Westheimer Parkway in Katy, TX on August 29, 2017. Craig Moseley/Houston Chronicle Show More Show Less
104of 128 A rescuer moves Paulina Tamirano, 92, from a boat to a truck bed as people evacuate from the Savannah Estates neighborhood as Addicks Reservoir nears capacity Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017 in Houston. Michael Ciaglo/Houston Chronicle Show More Show Less
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106of 128 Fluids from a submerged vehicle rise to the surface at the intersection of the Hardy Toll Road and the Sam Houston Tollway, as heavy rains continue from Tropical Storm Harvey, Tuesday August 29, 2017, in Houston. Sgt. Steve Perez, 56, reportedly drowned in his patrol car at the intersection while on his way to work. He was a 30-year veteran of the HPD. Jon Shapley/Houston Chronicle Show More Show Less
107of 128 Maria Dardon pauses at the intersection of the Hardy Toll Road and the Sam Houston Tollway, as heavy rains continue from Tropical Storm Harvey, Tuesday August 29, 2017, in Houston. Sgt. Steve Perez, 56, reportedly drowned in his patrol car at the intersection while on his way to work. He was a 30-year veteran of the HPD. Jon Shapley/Houston Chronicle Show More Show Less
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109of 128 A submerged vehicle is seen at the intersection of the Hardy Toll Road and the Sam Houston Tollway, as heavy rains continue from Tropical Storm Harvey, Tuesday August 29, 2017, in Houston. An HPD officer reportedly drowned in his patrol car at the intersection while on his way to work. Jon Shapley/Houston Chronicle Show More Show Less
110of 128 People displaced by Tropical Storm Harvey take shelter in the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston as Tropical Storm Harvey inches its way through the area on Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017. Elizabeth Conley/Houston Chronicle Show More Show Less
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112of 128 Nathan Gamez, 2, is pulled by his dad, Carlos Herrara after picking up supplies from the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston as Tropical Storm Harvey inches its way through the area on Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017. Elizabeth Conley/Houston Chronicle Show More Show Less
113of 128 Don and Peg Sauter celebrated their 55th wedding anniversary on August 22. The two have moved from their assisted living home to the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston as Tropical Storm Harvey inches its way through the area on Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017. Elizabeth Conley/Houston Chronicle Show More Show Less
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115of 128 A volunteer sorts the donations delivered to Lakewood Church now that the church has turned into a shelter for the Tropical Storm Harvey evacuees, Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017, in Houston. ( Marie D. De Jesus / Houston Chronicle ) Marie D. De Jesus/Staff Show More Show Less
116of 128 Flood victims are evacuated by boat from their neighborhood near the Addicks Reservoir as floodwaters rise from Tropical Storm Harvey on Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017, in Houston. Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle Show More Show Less
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118of 128 A line of airplanes are surrounded by floodwaters from Tropical Storm Harvey on Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017, in Houston. Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle Show More Show Less
119of 128 Flood victims are evacuated by boat from their neighborhood near the Addicks Reservoir as floodwaters rise from Tropical Storm Harvey on Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017, in Houston. Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle Show More Show Less
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121of 128 Rescue vehicles drive through a neighborhood off Cypress Creek as floodwaters rise from Tropical Storm Harvey on Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017, in Houston. Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle Show More Show Less
122of 128 A car sits stranded in high water at Studemont Drive and Allen Parkway as Buffalo Bayou overflows its banks as Tropical Storm Harvey continues to dump rain across the region Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017 in Houston. Michael Ciaglo/Houston Chronicle Show More Show Less
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124of 128 Armando Bustsamante walks along Studemont Street over Buffalo Bayou as flood waters from Tropical Storm Harvey flow toward downtown Houston Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017. Michael Ciaglo/Houston Chronicle Show More Show Less
125of 128 Sid Abdilahi, 31, gives his two-year-old niece, Bamas, a piggyback ride inside the Spring Hill Suites hotel Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017, in Rosenberg, Texas. “I’m just trying to keep my family’s spirits up,” said Abdilahi. “She’s my world,” he added. Abdilahi and his family, six total, were evacuated from their Richmond home by the Fort Bend Fire Department Monday morning and were first taken to B.F. Terry High School, one of the local shelters. With his mom, who’s 70, Abdilahi opted for looking for a close by hotel that still had open rooms. Godofredo A. Vasquez/Houston Chronicle Show More Show Less
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127of 128 Linda Gonzalez, carries Penny, Bulldog puppy, to the boat as Harris County Constable deputy Zach Ryan holds one-year-old Joshua Bukes Jr. as they rescued people from flooded homes near Aldine Westfield Road during Tropical Storm Harvey Monday, Aug. 28, 2017, in Humble, Texas. Godofredo A. Vasquez/Houston Chronicle Show More Show Less
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Authorities have evacuated residents within a mile and a half of the facility and said the fumes from the fire don’t pose an immediate public threat. The Environmental Protection Agency is conducting air and water tests in the area.
Arkema is a maker of organic peroxides commonly used by the plastics and rubber industries. They must be kept in cool temperatures or they can explode. The Arkema plant lost power earlier this week, knocking out the primary supply and backup generators and forcing employees to move the organic peroxides into nine box vans with cooling systems, which soon began to fail.
The company has abandoned the facility and any hope of preventing the chemicals from catching fire. Rennard said the company believes any fires from the containers won’t spread to the plant itself.
Despite the explosions and noxious fumes, Arkema has refused to provide a chemical inventory and facility map to the public. Speaking to reporters Friday morning, Arkema CEO Richard Rowe said the company was balancing “the public’s right to know and the public’s right to be secure.”
That answer wasn’t good enough for Luke Metzger, director of Environment Texas.
“There’s no good reason they shouldn’t be putting this information out,” he said. “It makes it look like they’re hiding something.”
There’s little patience or sympathy for Arkema from Crosby residents near the plant.
Philip Mincey had evacuated from his home about a quarter of a mile from Arkema because of floodwaters. He bought the place a year ago. There’s enough land that he and his girlfriend can raise four cows, a cat and 30 to 40 chickens. Now, Mincey can’t get back to their property. He’s worried about their animals, and he’s tired of the lack of communication from Arkema about when he will get temporary housing. He doesn’t know when he can return home, and he wonders about the dangers of the inevitable explosions from the plant.
“At first, I was understanding; it was an accident,” Mincey said. “But now, they’re jerking us around.”
Late Thursday night, the company provided a list of the chemicals on the site. But the potential hazards they pose remain unclear because the company did not provide the amounts of the chemicals, where those chemicals were located, or in what types of containers the chemicals were stored.
Melissa Wren, a company spokeswoman, said Arkema was advised by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to refer all requests for the detailed chemical inventory, called a Tier Two, to the state agency.
“She’s mistaken,” said Andrea Morrow, spokeswoman for TCEQ. “(The agency) has told Arkema they are free to release the Tier Two if they so choose.”
Morrow said if someone requests the Tier Two from TCEQ, it will have to be through a formal public information request and it would be sent to the Texas Attorney General’s Office. That office, under Greg Abbott and now Ken Paxton, has blocked inventories from the public citing a state law that restricts information that might be useful to terrorists.
The Texas Homeland Security Act, passed in 2003, made government information confidential if it could be used to plot terror attacks. For more than a decade, the law was never invoked to block release of chemical inventories. The state reversed course after widespread media interest in the data following the 2013 explosion at a fertilizer plant in West, Texas.
PUBLIC ACCESS DENIED: Arkema backtracks on promise to provide chemical inventory
Arkema has responded to some questions about what led to the emergency. Daryl Roberts, a company safety official, said neutralizing the organic peroxide with another chemical was not practical and that “at no point” did they intend to destroy it.
The company initially considered relocating the chemicals but deemed that process too risky, Roberts said.
“For us to be in a position where we were going to put that material into trailers and try to move it, it runs the risk of not being able to get it out of the area or getting it stuck in traffic, or having a fire or an explosion at a highway or at a public area, versus in the rural area where this site is,” he said.
Roberts confirmed two chemicals contained on its government mandated worst-case scenario report — sulfur dioxide and isobutylene. They were located hundreds of yards from the organic peroxides exploding on the site, he said.
“There’s no issues with any of those materials,” Roberts said. “No fire or water damage. No degradation in any of the systems that you’re asking about.”
The company left the material on site with backup generators and a cooling system, but the company didn’t say whether the generators were elevated.
“Those were our levels of contingency,” Roberts said. “Clearly, that wasn’t enough.”
Company officials have said they expected the refrigeration to fail in all the trailers and that additional explosions are inevitable for the six remaining containers.
The six containers that remain but located in a more remote location of the plant, said Arkema officials. Bob Royall, assistant chief of the Harris County Fire Marshal’s Office, said he believed they could explode in a matter of days as temperatures continue to rise.
“Wish I had a crystal ball,” he said.
Harvey aftermath: Chemical plants imperiled
Hurricane Harvey’s winds and floodwaters have created emergencies at chemical facilities across the Houston area, from an Exxon Mobil roof collapse at its massive Baytown complex to the risk of an explosion at a chemical plant northeast of Houston. We combined our Chemical Breakdown risk map, based on a facility’s potential for harm, with the region’s 100-year floodplains. Type in a Harris County address in the search bar above to view which sites with “potential for harm” fall within a two-mile radius of that address.
CHEMICAL BREAKDOWN: In November 2014, four workers died at a DuPont plant in La Porte after being exposed to a toxic gas. Responding emergency workers weren’t sure what was in the air. The surrounding community wasn’t, either. A Houston Chronicle investigation dives deep into Houston’s hidden world of explosions and toxic releases and probes the regulatory failures that put us in jeopardy. Click here to read our series.