Fire contained after chemical plant explosion rocks east Texas town

Fire from an explosion at a plant housing toxic chemicals in east Texas was contained and shelter-in-place orders were lifted Wednesday afternoon after a massive plume of smoke spread over the area, officials said.

The explosion happened at about 8:17 a.m. at the Sound Chemical Solutions plant in Shepherd, Texas, a rural city of just over 2,000 people in San Jacinto County. The specific cause of the explosion was not immediately known.

One employee had "minor burns" on his body and was being treated at a hospital, but the company's other roughly 40 employees were safe, Sound Chemical Solutions President Geoff Harfield said at a news conference. San Jacinto County Sheriff Greg Capers said 19 employees were working at the time of the explosion.

Harfield said the fire was triggered by a "forklift" incident but said he wouldn't give more information amid an ongoing investigation.

Emergency management officials in neighboring Polk County said in a news release that records show the plant had chemicals "known to have acute toxicity, carcinogenicity and reproductive toxicity, and may cause serious eye damage or eye irritation, skin corrosion or irritation, aspiration hazard, and organ toxicity."

The officials said the company makes "solvents for glue and paint remover."

Shelter-in-place orders lifted

A shelter-in-place order for a 1-mile radius around the chemical plant had been lifted Wednesday afternoon, San Jacinto Emergency Management Coordinator Emmitt Eldridge confirmed to USA TODAY. The order was previously in place for a 5-mile radius.

Polk County officials also said an order there was lifted, but that residents should still avoid spending unnecessary time outdoors, and young children or people with respiratory illnesses and other health issues should stay inside. HVAC systems could also be turned back on "at your discretion," Polk County Emergency Management said on social media.

A private school near the plant was safely evacuated Wednesday morning.

Photos and video posted to social media showed a huge plume of dark smoke billowing up from the area as flames raced skyward in local news footage from KPRC-TV.

The smoke had improved by Wednesday afternoon as over 20 fire crews battled the flames using foam, Eldridge said. "The fire is contained," he said.

Officials said the smoke was more widespread in Polk County than in San Jacinto County and was being carried by wind flowing from the south-southwest toward the north-northeast near Highway 59. The highest concentration of smoke Wednesday afternoon was between Livingston and Shepherd.

Officials find no chemicals in the air; effects still unknown

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality is setting up an air quality monitoring unit to get more information about any hazards, according to Polk County officials.

Wednesday afternoon, Eldridge said air quality monitoring near Livingston had found no chemicals in the air so far.

"At this time, the effects of the chemical in the air are unknown," Polk County Emergency Management said earlier in the day in a post on social media.

Harfield said the company was focused on the safety of its employees and on rebuilding, adding that it hoped to have a positive impact on the community. He acknowledged the plant had "hazardous materials, yes, but it’s the type of material you probably have under your kitchen sink."

"It’s not to be taken lightly, but we’ve been doing it well for a long time," he said.

The agency had said in a post a day earlier that residents reported a "chemical-type smell" in Polk County and neighboring counties. The emergency management office said the wind might be carrying the smell into the county from another area. Asked if the smell from the previous day was related to the chemical plant, Eldridge said Wednesday afternoon that the smell was likely caused by "a truck driving through the area."

Parts of Highway 59 were also closed because of the fire Wednesday.