A massive K-Solv chemical plant fire has been raging out of control for a couple of hours in Channelview in Harris County. According to K-Solv, at about the two-hour mark of the colossal blaze, no workers at the chemical plant have been seriously injured or killed. The company maintains that all of its workers are accounted for as of this time.
While there may be certainty about accounting for employees, firefighters at the scene of the K-Solv chemical plant fire seem to have stopped efforts to aggressively fight the out-of-control blaze. Evidently, at least as of late afternoon on Wednesday, firefighters have resolved that they are in the unenviable position of having to let the massive Harris County chemical plant fire burn itself out. There is no information available as to when the huge fire will extinguish on its own accord. Moreover, firefighters evidently continue to lack information about what chemicals are burning, data they need to be able to properly fight the blaze.
As of 6:00 p.m., the K-Solv chemical plant fire itself remained confined to the premises of the company’s facility in Channelview. The fire has spread from the plant’s main facility into surrounding parking lots, engulfing vehicles that were parked at the site. The destroyed vehicles are thought to include those owned by workers who evidently were forced to immediately evacuate the facility when the blaze ignited.
Even though the fire itself may be limited within the premises owned by K-Solv, the same cannot be said about the giant plume of thick black smoke that is spewing forth from the massive blaze. The growing plume of thick black smoke is fairly rapidly spreading over eastern Harris County. The smoke is so dense that its is being picked up on Doppler radar, which is not something that typically happens when it comes to emissions from fires.
As of this time, there is no information about the chemicals that likely are contained in the smoke plume. What is known is that the chemicals maintained at the K-Solv facility are hazardous and differ from one to the next. Different chemicals evidently pass through the facility day after day.
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, TCEQ, has announced that the agency is aware of the fire and the potentially hazardous plume of smoke rising from above the K-Solv chemical plant. TCEQ has dispatched an emergency response coordinator to the scene.
Unfortunately, TCEQ has not released any information on the contents of the thick plume of smoke. A few hours have now passed with absolutely no information about the contents of the smoke.
As the dinner hour approached, there is no confirmation as to what caused the K-Solv chemical plant fire in the first instance. Residents and businesses in the vicinity of the K-Solv plant indicate that they heard some type of “loud noise” directly before the start of the blaze. This is leading many to surmise that an explosion of some type has occurred at the Channelview chemical plant.
If you suffer injuries, damages, or some type of loss as the result of the K-Solv chemical plant fire, including from the hazardous smoke plume spreading over homes and business in Harris County, the legal team at The Doan Law Firm is available to answer an questions you might have. You can reach us any time of the day or night by calling (832) 835-0000.
We can schedule a consultation with you about your concerns with an experienced K-Solv chemical plant fire lawyer. There is no charge and no obligation for a consultation with a member of our legal team.
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