Texas Residents Told To Stay Inside in Two Cities As Toxic Leak Kills Two [Video]

Shelter-in-place orders were established in two east Texas cities Thursday after a toxic leak at an industrial plant killed two people and injured about 35 others.

A hydrogen sulfide release occurred at an operating unit at the PEMEX Procurement International facility in Deer Park, Houston, at about 4:40 p.m. A PEMEX press release concerning the incident reported that following the leak, “emergency protocols were immediately activated, as well as the refinery’s Emergency Response Center, and the respective notifications were made to local authorities.”

PEMEX Procurement International is a wholly owned affiliate of Petróleos Mexicanos (PEMEX), a state-owned Mexican petroleum company.

“In order to mitigate the impact, the operation of the coking unit and hydrotreatment units was proactively stopped, and safety venting was carried out, notifying the authorities under the mechanisms indicated in the protocol,” the press release said.