A fire has broken out at the Odfjell Terminal Houston at La Porte, Texas, which resulted in a nearly immediate shelter-in-place order issued for all residents of La Porte. When the Odfjell Terminal Houston fire broke out early Friday evening, La Porte Emergency Management alerted everyone in the community to take immediate shelter in the nearest available structure. La Porte residents were advised to close all doors and windows and turn off air conditioning units that might be in operation.
Little information is yet available about the actual cause of the Odfjell Terminal Houston fire beyond that it appeared to have started in what is described as the power pack area of the massive liquid bulk chemical storage, transfer, and distribution facility. The Odfjell Terminal Houston is a 119-tank facility that is located at 12211 Port Road, technically in Seabrook directly adjacent to the city of La Porte.
Harris County Pollution Control Department, together with the Fire Marshal’s Office, are monitoring air quality in the area. There has been no indication as to how long the air quality monitoring will take place. The initial shelter-in-place order ultimately was relaxed when no immediate hazardous contamination was detected near the La Porte population centers.
During the first hour after the blaze started, no information is yet available as to whether any one of the various chemicals that are stored or used at the Seabrook tank facility are involved in the blaze. Additionally, there is yet no information available as to whether any of the tanks at the facility are at risk due to the Odfjell Terminal Houston fire. Additionally, there is yet to be an announcement as to progress made on fire containment.
Also, within the first hour following the report of the La Porte tank facility fire there had been no announcements regarding any injuries at the Odfjell Terminal Houston center. News media have been heading to the scene in hopes of garnering more information about the fire and the state of the danger at the Odfjell Terminal Houston facility.
The stark reality is that people are injured throughout the year, sometimes severely and even fatally so, at incidents like the Odfjell Terminal Houston fire. A person who has been injured at an incident like the La Porte tank facility fire, or anyone who has lost a family member, can learn more about their important rights by calling The Doan Law Firm in Houston at (832) 835-0000. Our attorney hotline is staffed around the clock, seven days a week.