March-27-2019

ITC DEER PARK FIRE INCIDENT FINALLY EXTINGUISHED

On the morning of March 17, 2019 the Intercontinental Terminals Company petrochemical plant caught fire. The “uncontrolled fire” quickly spread, burning a majority of their tanks over the course of three days. On the early morning of March 20, 2019 after intensive efforts, the firefighting crews were finally able to control and extinguish the massive inferno.

The engulfed collection of tanks released toluene, xylene, and naptha–three chemicals known to cause symptoms such as itchy eyes and throats, nose bleeds, headaches, and potentially long-term health issues and damage.

In a written statement, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo confirms that public safety is the number one concern, and that monitoring of the site and surrounding areas will be performed extensively.

“After the successful extinguishing of the Intercontinental Terminals Company (ITC) fire at the Deer Park facility, public safety continues to be our foremost concern. There will be continuous air monitoring as clean-up operations begin, and as the monitoring shows extended favorable conditions, the monitoring will focus closer to the incident site. This means increased monitoring around the facility for the type of chemicals involved in the incident itself. If there is any indication of a threat to public safety, there will be immediate notification from local emergency management officials.”

ITC and authorities are monitoring air, water, and soil continuously. For precautionary purposes and to prevent any other reignitions, the tank plant is regularly being sprayed with foam. As the process beings to transition to recovery, investigators will be analyzing the tanks soon to understand the fire’s root cause and declare the area as safe.

We are experts in fighting cases involving catastrophic injuries. If you have been injured due to the ITC plant explosion, you may be entitled to compensation. Contact us today for a free consultation.