On March
23, 2026, at approximately 7:30 pm, the EPA was notified by the National
Response Center (NRC) of an explosion and fire at the Valero Refinery in Port
Arthur, Texas. Initial reports indicated the fire occurred in the heater for
the Diesel Hydrotreater Unit releasing methane, hydrogen sulfide, particulate
matter (PM 2,5) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). There was an active
shelter in place, implemented by the Fire
Department and County Judge, within a 1-mile radius of the
incident that ended at approximately 5:30 a.m. on March 24. The fire is currently contained, but
not yet extinguished. Approximately 800 gallons of non-Fluorine containing foam
were used during firefighting activities.
The incident
is in the inland zone, and EPA is the lead Federal On-Scene Coordinator. A
Region 6 OSC and EPA’s technical assistance contractor (START) were activated
to respond to the incident. EPA will assess potential off-site impacts, conduct
and/or coordinate air monitoring as needed, and document the responsible
party’s response actions.
Currently
there were no detections of VOCs, PM 2.5, or hydrogen sulfide above community
action levels. EPA is coordinating closely with the Texas Commission on
Environmental Quality (TCEQ) and Valero, the responsible party, and other state
and local responders. The EPA team plans to demobilize when the fire is extinguished, and there is no threat to human health or the environment. TCEQ will then take lead to oversee any potential remedial activities.
Click here to view the StoryMap.
