Posted on 08/14/2015 9:16:34 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
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Drillchem, a Conroe, Texas, plant, went up in flames as an explosion rocked the building. According to news channel KHOU Houston, Texas, “a series of explosions triggered a huge 3-alarm fire at the DrillChem plant” on Friday, August 14th in the afternoon. There’s been no word of injuries amidst the confusion that has followed the explosion.
According to their website, DrillChem is an oil industry supply company that creates sealants, shale inhibitors, and lubricants.
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The explosion caused tall streams of black smoke to rise into the air, causing a situation at the DrillChem plant that was very dangerous for first responders and anyone within a two mile radius of the DrillChem plant. More than 50 firefighters and first responders rushed to the DrillChem plant and to the scene, along with a HazMat team.
The explosion was reportedly so powerful that firefighters couldn’t start putting foam on the flames until just before 6 p.m. According to Montgomery County Fire Marshal Jimmy Williams, who spoke to local news stations, the firefighters had to let the fire burn down in the event that “hazardous chemicals or materials were involved.”
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According to the Courier Of Montgomery County, Conroe Fire Marshal Mike Legoudes said, “We were asking residents and people in businesses to stay inside the buildings,”due to the danger of the DrillChem explosion. “We also asked them to shut off the air conditioning. Anytime the AC is running, it can draw in air from the outside. The initial concern was that there might be something in the air that could cause harm.”
The fire marshal continued, “The HazMat team has been down there for quite a while, doing air monitoring, taking samples of different things in the area. So far, they haven’t found anything concerning.”
Eye witnesses claim that the first explosion at DrillChem occurred around 4:40 p.m., and was followed by other explosions, although it’s not clear exactly how many followed. In response to the explosion, local authorities closed down nearby roads, and the explosion caused authorities to issue a warning to anyone within a two mile radius of the plant. A temporary shelter has been created for anyone within that two mile radius, reports KHOU Houston, Texas.
To keep residents safe, local firefighters also issued a warning that advised residents to “turn off their air conditioners and keep doors and windows closed.”
“Sometimes the best plan of attack may be not any attack at all,” Fire Marshal Williams advised the local news stations about the DrillChem explosion. “They don’t want to do anything to endanger firefighters.”
Huge explosion in China, huge explosion in Texas ... hmmmm.
Seems suspicious. Can’t imagine why... /s
Off topic a tad but can someone explain to me what “3 alarm fire” means? How does it differ from a 4 alarm or 2 alarm etc.?
Serious question - just because I don’t know the answer and surely someone here does.
My understanding on that is this:
When a fire occurs,
a response engine is dispatched that is expected to handle the first alarm.
If the first response is inadequate, a second alarm is issued,
and a second response is made (two alarm).
If the second response is inadequate, a third alarm is issued,
and a third response is made (three alarm).
Are there any Muzzies living nearby?
Just a few miles from where I was living when I was there.
An Alarm refers to the dispatch of equipment to the scene. Each alarm is another group of reinforcing firefighters and equipment. The more alarms, (the more reinforcements and additional equipment sent,) the more serious the fire.
Not that you don’t already know
The difference is that nobody died in Texas, and the fire has been brought under control
You really can’t compare the two
Isn’t it strange that many of these oil related businesses, refineries, etc. all seem to “explode” for some unknown cause? I’ll leave that to your imagination but I suspect some foul play.
Not really all that strange at all.
“According to their website, DrillChem is an oil industry supply company that creates sealants, shale inhibitors, and lubricants.”
I.e. volatile chemicals.
Where I work, a few weeks ago we started smelling a strong chemical odor in the ladies room and in the hallway outside of recently renovated area of the plant that our sister company recently moved some of their operations into. Long story short it was coming from a spray booth, not for paint but for some sort of chemical treatment they apply to the industrial rollers they manufacture. The stuff is both volatile and toxic in high or over long term exposure.
What our safety department found was that the spray booth was vented to the outside but that the stack the contractor installed was too short and given the right wind conditions, fumes were getting sucked back into the building’s air handling unit, plus it didn’t have the proper filters/scrubber on it. Our safety manager made them stop operations of the spray booth until the venting issues could be corrected.
In dealing with volatile chemicals, stuff can and does happen. Sometimes it is because of improper handling, one stupid mistake, an accident spill, an equipment malfunction, or any combination of things.
The road where the plant is has a lot of small chemical facilities. Good thing this didn’t spread. As for religion of peace types, I don’t think there are any near there. It is mostly rural white folks.
I used to live in Conroe. I know where this place is.
Handling Hazardous Materials tends to have hazardous.
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