Deadly fire at Marathon Petroleum refinery near Houston, Texas prompts investigation

Texas [US]: According to Marathon Petroleum, a refinery near Houston experienced a fire on Monday which resulted in visible flames and the death of at least one worker. The cause of the fire, which occurred in the morning, is currently being investigated. Aerial footage from Houston television stations captured crews working to extinguish the flames at the Galveston Bay refinery, located in an area along the Texas coast that is densely populated with petrochemical facilities.

It is unclear whether anyone else was injured as both the company and authorities have yet to report any additional casualties. Ensuring the safety of our workers and the community remains our primary concern, and we intend to conduct a thorough investigation to uncover the root cause of the incident.

As per the Texas City police, the fire at the facility has been brought under control and contained by Monday afternoon. The company has confirmed that all workers have been accounted for. Fires at refineries in the area are common, which is unfortunate. Recently, a fire broke out at a Shell facility located in Deer Park, which resulted in hospitalizing nine workers and caused extensive smoke plumes.

In March, an individual was injured as a result of an explosion and fire at a facility belonging to INEOS Phenol in Pasadena, Texas. The same facility, previously owned by BP, experienced a catastrophic refinery explosion in 2005 that resulted in the deaths of 15 individuals and injured 180 others. Following the incident, the facility was sold to Marathon in 2013, later renamed the Galveston Bay refinery, and merged with another Marathon facility in 2018, according to previous statements by both BP and Marathon.