Fire at Alkoxylation Plant Forces Evacuations
1,000 gal of isobutyl chloride was released during a fire at the Baze Chemical alkoxylation plant in Texas.
A fire at the Baze Chemical alkoxylation plant in Palestine, TX last Saturday night prompted local officials to evacuate homes near the facility, several local news organizations reported.
Palestine Fire Department was called to the blaze at about 10:30 p.m. and arrived to find flames reaching 75 ft high, acting fire chief and fireman Devin Jackson told the Palestine Herald-Press. The fire official said the incident was challenging because the fire was located near production vessels.
Three workers who present inside the facility when the fire started told firefighters that isobutyl chloride was involved in the incident, Jackson said in the newspaper’s coverage. 1,000 gal of the liquid chemical was released.
The Palestine Police Department evacuated an area near the facility because of the chemical release.
“Anyone within a half-mile radius of Baze Chemical on F.M. 323 is being asked to evacuate due to a fire at the facility. Residents may evacuate to the Palestine Civic Center,” police said in a social media post published during the incident.
The Palestine plant manufactures surfactants, emulsion breakers, custom alkoxylation products, according to information on the company’s website.
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