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More Dead As A Result Of Big Oil: 100 people injured, 14+ dead in Texas blast
A huge explosion in a US petrochemical plant in Texas City has killed at least 14 people and left more than 100 people injured.
The fire at the BP petrochemical plant on Wednesday triggered a major fire sending black smoke billowing into the sky.
The fire at the BP petrochemical plant on Wednesday triggered a major fire sending black smoke billowing into the sky.
"It was just a real loud explosion," local resident Mike Martin said. "It sounded like a sonic boom, and it shook the pictures bad enough to where it knocked them off the wall. And it frightened me, so I jumped out of bed."
Though what caused the blast is not yet known, authorities have ruled out terrorism as a cause.
It is feared that the fatalities may rise.
BP's Texas City plant is a sprawling industrial complex that stretches across 1200 acres with 30 refinery units.
The plant processes 460 million barrels of crude oil every day, producing 3% of the US gasoline supply. It employs about 2000 people.
Texas City is about 55km southeast of Houston.
Last March, there was a blast and fire at a BP refinery in Texas City.
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/400E6184-FF8E-4E6E-AE1D-2A9B8CF66274.htm
Shocked residents in a state of disbelief
By KEVIN MORAN and DINA CAPPIELLO
TEXAS CITY - A fiery explosion at one of the nation's largest oil refineries killed at least 14 people Wednesday and injured more than 100 others in the deadliest industrial accident in the Houston area in nearly 15 years.
"There are still some people not accounted for," BP plant manager Don Parus said Wednesday night.
The blast was the second fatal accident to occur at the sprawling 1,200-acre BP complex off Texas 146 in the last year.
The cause has not been determined. There was no initial indication of dangerous levels of pollution from the blaze.
More
http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/topstory/3100123
Though what caused the blast is not yet known, authorities have ruled out terrorism as a cause.
It is feared that the fatalities may rise.
BP's Texas City plant is a sprawling industrial complex that stretches across 1200 acres with 30 refinery units.
The plant processes 460 million barrels of crude oil every day, producing 3% of the US gasoline supply. It employs about 2000 people.
Texas City is about 55km southeast of Houston.
Last March, there was a blast and fire at a BP refinery in Texas City.
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/400E6184-FF8E-4E6E-AE1D-2A9B8CF66274.htm
Shocked residents in a state of disbelief
By KEVIN MORAN and DINA CAPPIELLO
TEXAS CITY - A fiery explosion at one of the nation's largest oil refineries killed at least 14 people Wednesday and injured more than 100 others in the deadliest industrial accident in the Houston area in nearly 15 years.
"There are still some people not accounted for," BP plant manager Don Parus said Wednesday night.
The blast was the second fatal accident to occur at the sprawling 1,200-acre BP complex off Texas 146 in the last year.
The cause has not been determined. There was no initial indication of dangerous levels of pollution from the blaze.
More
http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/topstory/3100123
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The blast took place at a facility owned by British-owned company BP in Texas City.
Sections of the plant were reduced to cinders and rubble. The refinery, the third-biggest in the US, produces 3% of the country's oil supply.
An inquiry into the cause of the blast is under way. Investigators say terrorism is not their main focus.
The refinery has had safety problems in the past.
A year ago, it was evacuated after an explosion that cost the company $63,000 in fines.
'Sonic boom'
Wednesday's explosion happened at 1330 (1930 GMT) at the western end of the plant, which covers an area of almost 500 hectares.
The Texas City refinery, 35 miles (55km) south-east of Houston, is the third biggest in the US, employing 2,000 people.
It processes roughly 450,000 barrels of crude oil each day.
That figure is approximately 3% of the US' domestic oil supply and one-third of BP's output across the US.
"We believe 14 people lost their lives as a result of the fire," site director Don Parus said. "It's a sad day for BP."
Texas City resident Mike Martin described "a real loud explosion, like a sonic boom".
"It shook the pictures bad enough to where it knocked them off the wall. And it frightened me, so I jumped out of bed."
Judith Mantell, 62, told the Houston Chronicle the blast lifted her vehicle off the ground at her home five miles (8km) away.
"I've never seen flames that high from anything. They were bright orange, with yellow on the side," she said.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4377519.stm