Six people were injured in a fire at a Shell oil refinery in Texas, reports Reuters. Associated Press specifies that the victims were hospitalized.
The severity of their injuries is unknown. Agency interlocutors specified that the fire occurred at the alpha-olefin plant. An explosion was heard before the fire broke out, according to local TV channel BNO News on Twitter. According to KHOU-TV, all refinery employees were evacuated.
Harris County Texas Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said on his Twitter that there was no explosion and that the fire was caused by heat exchange between two heavy gas oils (refined petroleum products). He added that the fire was being extinguished successfully and no serious injuries were reported.
Reuters specifies that works at a nearby refinery of Mexican company Pemex continue. The organization said that the fire was not in one of its units and Pemex emergency services helped extinguish the fire.