The National Response Center (NRC 753543) notified EPA of an explosion at the BP petrochemical plant in Texas City, Texas on 23 March 2005. The explosion occurred at approximately 1:20 PM local time. BP representative Dan Lutz reported the process unit which was involved in the explosion, was an isomerization unit that produced high end naptha products with a feed line that contained 0.5% benzene. Fifteen fatalities have been confirmed and at least 77 were injured in the explosion.
03/27/05 (SUNDAY) The Emergency Response (ER) phase of the incident is complete. All public health and environmental threats have been addressed. The incident will now move into the compliance phase. Ongoing investigations currently include OSHA, the Chemical Safety Board (CSB), PACE (Paper, Allied-Industrial,Chemical and Energy Workers International Union) and internal BP.
03/26/05 (SATURDAY) BP began drawing down tank 108. Due to safety concerns the pumping was postponed until a procedure could be written to address them. EPA continued monitoring the tank and elevated levels of benzene were detected. Although elevated levels of benzene were detected around the firewall of tank 108, non were detected offsite during community monitoring. Therefore, the emissions were considered not to be an offsite impact and therefore not a public health threat to the surrounding community. Since offsite impacts are not a concern, pumping of the tank was postponed. An inspection of tank 117 was also completed but revealed no issues of concern. A walk through inspection will also be done on all other tanks. A visual assessment of the warehouse revealed no volatile threats therefore, no berm will be necessary. However, if issues arise, the runoff will be monitored every two hours. Sampling for the cooling tower will be started for VOCs on 03/28/05. The IMT will be kept in place for another week but transition has begun to the Long Term Recovery Team.
03/25/05 (FRIDAY) A total of fifteen fatalities have been confirmed and at least 77 injured. Most injured personnel have been released by area hospitals, seventeen remain in hospital care; however, approximately 6 are still listed as serious or critical condition. All missing individuals have been located; therefore, the search and rescue efforts have been called off. BP EAP consultation and representation remain at each hospital for the families of the victims. BP EAP consultation continues to operate a hot line number and also onsite EAP support.
During the evening of 24 March 2005, BP representatives recorded elevated levels of benzene and VOCs near Tank 108 located within the facility on the west end. The elevated levels were found to be the result of a compromised floating roof. The elevated levels of these two constituents were duplicated during the day on 25 March 2005 by BP employees, witnessed by OSC Leos and an EPA representative.
EPA R6 CID-Houston Bill Stevens and FBI reported to FOSC McCormick that both agencies have verified that there is no creditable evidence that indicates terrorist group(s) caused the explosion on 23 March 2005. Congresswoman Sheila Jackson-Lee, a member of the newly formed Department of Homeland Security Committee, expressed her sympathy to BP and the victims of the explosion at the Incident Command.
