A MASS chemical leak at the LyondellBasell La Porte facility has caused fatalities among it's workers.
The tragic accident happened in the evening of July 27, 2021.
How many people died in the LyondellBasell accident?
Two workers died at the LyondellBasell plant after 100,000 pounds of acetic acid was released in a chemical leak at the facility.
Site manager Stephen Goff said 30 workers had to be taken to local hospitals following the accident.
Another 31 people were "in the green" meaning they walked away from the accident but could have been contaminated.
Officials did not immediately release the identities of the two contractors killed reports ABC 13.
What caused the accident?
Company officials have said they still cannot confirm what caused the leak.
The unit that was affected by the leak was shut off for planned maintenance at the time.
According LyondellBassell, the acid that spilled is an acid used in food-grade vinegar. It can cause severe burns and is very dangerous if swallowed or inhaled.
Plant workers and first responders began the decontamination and cleanup process the evening of the accident.
The local air quality is not affected and Harris County Pollution Control officials said there is no further offsite impact.
There is no shelter in place recommended for the community.
"No one ever wants an incident like this to happen, and when it does, it has an effect on us all," LyondellBasell Senior Vice President Michael VanDerSnick said.
"We will find out what led to this release, and we'll work to understand how it happened to prevent situation like this from ever happening again."
Harris County Constable Precinct 8 will be the lead jurisdiction in the investigation.
"Sometimes the terminology in these situations, when there's a leak, you think of something pouring out, but a leak could also be something exploded off the top and the chemical came out," Harris County Fire Marshal Laurie Christensen said.
"So, once we get into the investigation, we'll be able to specifically detail that out. But when that came out, obviously it impacted a lot of people. So at this point, we, the fire marshal's office, are calling it a chemical explosion until we know more."
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