HOUSTON, Jan 25 (NNN-XINHUA) – At least two people were confirmed dead, in the large explosion at an industrial facility in the U.S. city of Houston, early Friday morning, according to Houston police.
Chief of the Houston Police Department, Art Acevedo, warned that people planning to loot homes in the neighbourhoods surrounding the explosion site “will be charged to the fullest extent of the law.”
Chief of the Houston Fire Department, Samuel Pena, said, hazmat crews contained valves, containing chemicals, and “fire will be allowed to burn off.”
According to Pena, a 200-gallon (757-litre) tank of propylene exploded, and “the site is active crime scene.”
The explosion occurred at Watson Grinding & Manufacturing Co., about 25 km northwest of downtown Houston. Entire structures of the facility were destroyed in the blast and some homes were blown off their foundations, in the adjoining neighbourhood. Debris of broken windows, doors, and garage doors spread for about 400 metres.
Mayor of Houston, Sylvester Turner, announced that, a temporary staging area for residents, displaced by the explosion has been established.
Authorities said, the air quality so far is fine. However, as a precaution, some schools in the area announced closed, due to air quality concerns.– NNN-XINHUA
