Fire breaks out at Shell chemical plant in Houston suburb – sources

By Erwin Seba

HOUSTON (Reuters) -A fire broke out in an olefins unit on Friday at Shell (LON:) Plc’s Deer Park, Texas chemical plant, said five people familiar with plant operations.

A large column of black smoke could be seen rising from the fire in the olefins unit located near Highway 225 in the Houston suburb of Deer Park, the sources said.

One person sustained a minor injury, two of the sources said.

KHOU-TV in Houston said two people were reported to have sustained injuries from the fire and all employees had been evacuated from the plant.

Operations at the neighboring Pemex refinery were continuing despite the fire in the chemical plant, said sources familiar with the refinery’s operations.