Large fire reported at chemical plant near Houston

A massive fire at a chemical plant near Houston Wednesday prompted a school evacuation and a warning for residents to shelter in place, according to authorities.

There was an explosion at the plant in the town of Shepherd just after 8 a.m. local time Wednesday, according to San Jacinto County Sheriff Greg Capers.

The fire is now contained, Emmitt Eldridge, the emergency management coordinator with the San Jacinto County Office of Emergency Management, said during a press briefing early Wednesday afternoon.

About 20 fire crews are at the scene working on the fire, Eldridge said. Ongoing monitoring has not found any chemicals in the air at this time, he said.

All employees at the plant are accounted for, with only one worker suffering a minor burn injury, according to Sound Resource Solutions, which owns the plant. There were 19 employees in the building at the time, Capers said.

A private school with 31 children was evacuated near the plant, according to the San Jacinto County Sheriff’s Office.

The shelter in place for the surrounding area has now been lifted, according to Polk County Emergency Management. However, the agency did ask people to “limit all unnecessary outdoor activity” in the wake of it being lifted.

Residents of Livingston, which is located several miles north of Shepherd in Polk County, had been asked to shelter in place and turn off air conditioning systems until further notice, according to Livingston police.

Dark black smoke could be seen billowing from the plant. Capers said flammable liquids and diesel were burning.

Shepherd is about an hour north of Houston.