Editor’s note: Daily Report originally published an item this morning from The Associated Press that an explosion and fire occurred at a plant operated by Albemarle in Texas. The incident happened at a plant operated by SunEdison, not Albemarle.
Police say four workers have been treated for burns after an explosion and fire at a chemical plant along the Houston Ship Channel.
The Associated Press reports that Pasadena police say the accident happened Friday morning and the fire has been put out. Authorities are trying to determine what sparked the incident at a SunEdison silicon plant.
Pasadena police spokesman Vance Mitchell says there was no threat to the community. Mitchell says the injured workers were transported to hospitals for treatment of burns not believed to be life-threatening.
SunEdison spokesman Gordon Handelsman says three workers were treated and released from a hospital. He had no details Friday on the fourth injured worker. Handelsman says efforts were being focused on the safety of employees as the company gathered information about the accident.
The AP originally reported that the fire occurred at a plan operated by Albemarle. In fact, the incident happened at a neighboring plant run by SunEdison. Albemarle says it is assisting in the emergency response.
“This incident at the neighboring facility has not impacted production at Albemarle’s facility,” says Raphael Crawford, vice president of Albemarle’s synthesis and polymer solutions division, in a prepared statement. “Our customers can expect regular production, service and supply with no interruption due to this incident.”
