What we know about flooded Texas chemical plant

Here is what we know about the plant located in Crosby, northeast of Houston, and owned by French global chemical group Arkema:

– What does the plant make? –

The Crosby plant produces liquid organic peroxides, used in the production of plastic resins, polystyrene, polyethylene, polypropylene, PVC and polyester reinforced fiberglass, and acrylic resins.

Those compounds are used in a vast range of everyday consumer products, from automobiles and food packaging to health and cleaning products. Organic peroxides end up in everything from countertops, paints and coatings for autos to hoses, gaskets, and headlight assemblies for vehicles, disposable cups and plates, PVC for pipes, packaging, and siding.

– What sparked the fire? –

Liquid organic peroxides must be kept cold. With Harvey headed for Texas, Arkema moved the chemicals into refrigerated containers with backup generators. But after the storm produced an unprecedented six-feet of floodwaters at the site, the generators failed in eight of the nine containers. Company officials warned they had no way to prevent an explosion and fires.

At 2 am (0700 GMT) on Thursday, officials reported two explosions that released fumes and black smoke into the air. Firefighters are trying to contain the fire. A company executive said just one of the containers popped, releasing pressure building up inside due to the loss of refrigeration, but that he expected the others to degrade as well.

– How dangerous is it? –

Brock Long, the head of the US Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), said the plume of fumes was “incredibly dangerous.”

However, Arkema Deputy CEO Michel Delaborde told AFP the fumes are not dangerous, despite the 10-meter high flames from the fires.

“When it decomposes and burns, the organic peroxide releases a smoke that can be irritating but is non-toxic if there is no prolonged and massive exposure,” he said, noting there were about 240 metric tons of the chemical stored at the plant.

But the US Environmental Protection Agency said it was reviewing data from an aircraft that surveyed the scene and had no indication that dangerous concentrations of toxic materials have been released.

The plant is located near the small town of Crosby, with about 1,300 households and less than 4,000 residents living within in a three-mile radius. Harris Country officials had previously ordered the evacuation of a 1.5 mile (three kilometer) area around the plant on Tuesday. Arkema also ordered the facility’s 57 workers to evacuate the site.

Area residents have been warned to stay inside and turn off air conditioners, and if exposed to the smoke, which irritates the eyes and lungs, to seek medical advice.

– What is the plant’s safety record? –

Prior to the incident there had been no formal enforcement actions against the company in the past five years, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. There were two informal actions in late 2013. The company reported a single injury resulting in lost work time in the past seven years.

Arkema invested $700,000 in 2015 for improvements in its health, safety and environmental impact capabilities, including adding “emergency generators for safe shut down, and redundant refrigeration system for cold storage buildings.”

The magnitude of the damage to the plant, which houses other chemicals as well, is unknown at this time.

Arkema is a multinational based near Paris, born of the restructuring of the chemical branch of French oil giant Total. The group has a long established presence in the United States with more than 3,000 employees working in more than 37 plants, including five in Texas.

The Crosby facility generates annual sales of $30 million or just 0.4% of group sales.