HOUSTON – Commissioner Adrian Garcia is monitoring the fire at the ExxonMobil Olefins Plant in Baytown very closely and ready to assist if support is needed. The City of Baytown has issued a precautionary Shelter-in-Place Order for residents who live in areas west of the plant and south of Spur 330. As a precaution, Precinct 2 Burnett Park, which is located in the sheltered area, has been closed and employees have been evacuated.
“I spoke with Mayor Capetillo and shared Precinct 2 is ready to assist the City of Baytown if needed. My priority is making sure the community feels safe and that we do everything we can to keep them informed of the situation,” said Commissioner Adrian Garcia.
According to the City of Baytown, the fire is in the unit that contains polypropylene material. Another name for it is propylene, which is an extremely flammable gas. Harris County Pollution Control has activated and is capturing air-monitoring data which will be posted live on their website, https://pcs.harriscountytx.gov
ExxonMobil reports that their industrial hygiene staff is also conducting air-quality monitoring at the site and at the fence line.
Other Harris County agencies, including the Sheriff’s Office Homeland Security Bureau and industrial liaisons, have been dispatched to the fence line and are ready to assist. After the fire is extinguished and the area is safe, the Harris County Fire Marshall’s Office will be conducting an investigation.
To stay up-to-date, please check Harris County Precinct 2 - @harriscountyprecinct2
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