March 31, 2004
By Kevin Moran And Mike Glenn
Houston Chronicle

Photo: A furnace at the BP Refinery in Texas City explodes a second time Tuesday night. (Associated Press / Texas City Sun)

TEXAS CITY -- A series of explosions erupted Tuesday night at the BP Refinery here, prompting local officials to tell nearby residents to remain indoors for about 2 1/2 hours.

At least three blasts were heard about 6:30 p.m. at the site on FM 519 East, and the fire lit up the night sky.

Officials said the gasoline unit exploded and firefighters would let the fuel that powers the unit burn out. No injuries were reported.

"We've done a head count twice, and everyone is accounted for," said Bruce Clawson, Texas City emergency management coordinator. "Every piece of firefighting equipment in the area responded."

No cause for the explosions was determined. "We won't know for quite some time," Clawson said.

However, the fire was contained about 9 p.m., Clawson said, and it was to be allowed to burn throughout the night. Also, he said, all emergency warnings, including the residents' being asked to stay inside, were lifted.

Roads leading into the petrochemical complex were closed as a precaution but most, with the exception of Texas 146, were reopened about 9 p.m.

Residents nearby felt the blasts.

"The house rumbled," said Cindy Hendren, 42, whose home is about a mile north of the plant. "You could feel the rumble."

Jay Patel, owner of the Crystal Suites hotel on Texas 146 North behind the plant, said he and guests heard three or four explosions.

"We all went outdoors to have a look," Patel said. "And we could see colors and sparks."

Hotel guest Ralph Merriweather, 54, decided it was time to check out after the explosion.

"I'm going back to Austin," said Merriweather, a union organizer. "I heard the explosion, and I said I'm outta here."

Texas City resident Angela Stuckey and her family live about four blocks from the plant. The initial explosion caused her house to shake.

"We looked out the window, and there was a big fireball over the trees," Stuckey said. "Then it was just a big cloud of smoke."

Shortly after the blasts, Stuckey took her two small children and went to stay with family members in Galveston.

"We were just pretty scared. We didn't know what was going on, so we wanted to leave as soon as possible," she said.

The Texas City refinery is the largest in the BP system and the third-largest refinery in the United States. The refinery can handle more than 460,000 barrels of crude oil daily. The facility employs more than 1,500 employees and contract personnel, according to the company.

The refinery sends feedstocks to BP's adjacent chemical plant. Those feedstocks are used to produce paraxylene, styrene, polybutane, propyylene, metaxylene and multigrade solvents.

Chronicle reporters Mike Glenn and Bill Hensel Jr. contributed to this story. 

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/metropolitan/2476496