A chemical plant in Crosby, TX has evacuated employees due to risk of an explosion, following the loss of primary power while backup generators begin to flood.
French owned Arkema, Inc. said the situation “has become serious,” and is working with the Department of Homeland Security to organize a command post at a suitable location near the site.
CEO of Arkema’s U.S. operations said “the company has no way of preventing chemicals from catching fire or exploding at its heavily flooded plant,” adding that “the company now expects chemicals on site to catch fire or explode within the next six days.”
Chemical Plant that makes ammonia in Crosby is in danger of fire/explosion. The local area is being evacuated. Stay out of area. #Harvey https://t.co/zCtnCGO5w8
— Ted Poe (@JudgeTedPoe) August 29, 2017
Via ZeroHedge:
The plant, which produces explosive organic peroxides and ammonia, was hit by more than 40 inches of rain and has been heavily flooded, running without electricity since Sunday. The plant was closed since Friday but has had a skeleton staff of about a dozen in place. Following the flood surge, the plant’s back-up generators also failed. The threat emerged once the company could no longer maintain refrigeration for chemicals located on site, which have to be stored at low temperatures. The plant lost cooling when backup generators were flooded and then workers transferred products from the warehouses into diesel-powered refrigerated containers.
On Tuesday afternoon, the company released a statement which admitted that “refrigeration on some of our back-up product storage containers has been compromised due to extremely high water, which is unprecedented in the Crosby area. We are monitoring the temperature of each refrigeration container remotely.” It then warned that “while we do not believe there is any imminent danger, the potential for a chemical reaction leading to a fire and/or explosion within the site confines is real.”
Get the popcorn, there’s gonna be a ‘splosion.
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What about some new generators brought close by and some really long extension cords?
I’m not an expert but that’s what I’d do…lol.
Metalleg I think your comment is right on point. I’d add by saying they might have done the calculation and determined an insurance claim and subsequent support and enticement payments from government are more profitable than hooking up back up generators.
Why look for cooling solutions when it’s time to collect on their insurance policy?
By the same token, do you guys also think that people aren’t just driving out of houston because they thought being rescued by boat and helicoptor would save them gas money?