30 HOSPITALIZED AFTER LYONDELLBASELL CHEMICAL LEAK
On Tuesday, July 27, at 7:35 PM an acetic acid leak occurred at the LyondellBasell facility in La Porte, Texas. The City of La Porte’s emergency responders and Channel Industries Mutual aid arrived quickly on the scene to assess injuries and damages. LyondellBasell’s spokesperson immediately released a statement saying that 30 people were hospitalized and of those, four sustained burns and two “sustained fatal injuries.” Although names have not been released, it is said that the two fatalities were contractors for the company. By 10 PM Tuesday evening, LyondellBasell said that all personnel who were working within the acetyls unit has been accounted for.
A news conference was held Tuesday night where Harris County Fire Marshall, Laurie Christensen, answered questions. Christensen said that dozens at the scene are now being monitored for symptoms such as difficulty swallowing, difficulty breathing, irritated skin, or burns on the skin. Harris Country Fire Marshalls Office tweeted, “investigators conducted initial interviews and determined there was no explosion or fire.” Officials say that nearly 100,000 pounds of the glacial acetic acid were released during the leak causing, what La Porte EMS describes as, a “mass casualty.” LyondellBasell states that “This unit was shut down earlier today for planned maintenance. The leak is stopped and clean-up is in progress. Air monitoring continues to demonstrate no levels of concern for the community.”
The Potts Law Firm is investigating this chemical leak incident with full force. Our chemical leak attorneys are requesting public information from various governmental agencies to determine if previous chemical leaks and/or chemical explosions have recently occurred at this particular plant. Our team of chemical exposure lawyers are also investigating the cause of this chemical leak by discussing the matter with our industry experts.
If you or a loved one was injured while at the LyondellBasell chemical plant, please do not be a victim twice. Make the right choice and seek representation from experienced LyondellBasell chemical leak attorneys. We will fight for your full legal rights at no upfront cost to you.
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