LyondellBasell reported that a fire broke out at its Bayport Choate site in Texas on Thursday evening and that on-site firefighting and incident response teams were actively engaged in containing the incident.
The company said that "at this time, there is no threat to the surrounding community and no action is required by neighbors" and confirmed that all personnel at the site were safe and accounted for.
Earlier in the response timeline, LyondellBasell had described the situation as an operational upset at the facility and warned that "the people in the surrounding community might see bright flames or smoke." The company said local law enforcement and fire departments would issue any public notice if conditions warranted it.
The fire was reported to have started at around 9 p.m. local time. LyondellBasell said it was receiving support from the Channel Industries Mutual Aid (CIMA) organization in addition to firefighting teams from neighboring areas.
Local emergency management agencies confirmed a multi-agency response. The La Porte Office of Emergency Management, in a Facebook post, said that agencies from the La Porte and Pasadena Fire Departments, CIMA, Harris County Hazmat, pollution control and industrial liaisons from the Harris County Office of Emergency Management were present at the scene.
The Bayport Choate complex is a large chemical production site. According to company materials, the site manufactures propylene oxide, propylene glycol, propylene glycol ether, tertiary butyl alcohol, high purity isobutylene, tertiary butyl hydroperoxide and ethyl tertiary-butyl ether. The company describes the facility as the largest propylene oxide/tertiary butyl alcohol site in the world based on production volume.
Summary of response actions and plant profile:
- On-site firefighting and incident response teams engaged to contain the fire.
- External support provided by CIMA and neighboring firefighting units.
- Local emergency agencies including La Porte and Pasadena Fire Departments, Harris County Hazmat, pollution control and industrial liaisons reported on scene.
- Facility produces multiple chemical products and is noted for being the largest site globally for propylene oxide and tertiary butyl alcohol by production volume.
The company emphasized that, at the time of its statement, there was no identified threat to surrounding communities and no actions were necessary by neighbors. Officials are monitoring the situation and local agencies will communicate publicly if conditions change and notifications are required.