An explosion at Exxon Mobil's Baytown refinery left at least four people injured early Thursday morning, according to Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez.
Three people were taken by helicopter and one by ambulance to nearby hospitals after what the sheriff's office described as a "major industrial accident" just after 1 a.m. Thursday.
According to ABC13, two people were being treated for burns, a third person had a fracture, and the fourth person was being treated for injuries after falling about 40 feet. All four individuals are in stable condition, according to Exxon Mobil Baytown.
All employees were accounted for, and there is no shelter in place or evacuation order in the city, the company said.
Exxon employees are taking air monitoring samples, and so far the company says there are no adverse impacts to the community.
As of 9:10 a.m., Exxon Mobil Baytown said crews had successfully extinguished the fire at the refinery, and that the cause of the explosion was currently unknown.
“Our first priority is people in the community and in our facilities,” the company said. “The causes of the incident have not yet been determined. We are coordinating with authorities as appropriate, and all findings will be incorporated in our continuing effort to enhance our safety performance.”
The Harris County Fire Marshall’s office have begin investigating the cause of the incident.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
— ExxonMobil Baytown Area (@ExxonMobilBTA) December 23, 2021
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