EMBED >More News Videos NEW VIDEO: A Nest doorbell camera captured the sound of an explosion Tuesday at the KMCO chemical plant in Crosby. #Update: HCFMO investigators have issued a subpoena to #KMCO as part of their investigation. The subpoena will preserve documents related to KMCO and aid investigators in their ongoing investigation into the origin and cause of the fire. — Harris Co. FMO (@hcfmo) April 3, 2019 EMBED >More News Videos A timeline of the fire at KMCO. As a precaution amid the current shelter in place, Harris County Precinct 2 is temporarily closing the following Crosby Facilities: Crosby Park, Crosby Sports Complex, and the Crosby Community Center. pic.twitter.com/zKoPlmydUR — Harris County Precinct 2 (@HarrisCoPct2) April 2, 2019 Crosby Plant Fire: What I know-a transfer line ignited in the area of a tank with Isobutylene and the tank caught on fire. An adjacent storage building with solid goods also caught fire. Trying to contain it. #HouNews — Ed Gonzalez (@SheriffEd_HCSO) April 2, 2019 #KMCOfire Update: TCEQ has sent emergency response personnel and redirected one of its air quality monitoring vans to the vicinity. TCEQ is also sending a contractor with handheld monitoring equipment. — Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (@TCEQ) April 2, 2019 We remain at Level 3- Increased Readiness as we continue to monitor clean- up efforts at the ITC site in Deer Park. We are also actively monitoring the KMCO explosion in Crosby, TX. County resources from @FMO @HCSOTexas and Harris County Pollution Control are en route to assist. — Harris County OHSEM (@ReadyHarris) April 2, 2019 . @_SkyEye has a closer look at the streets surrounding the KMCO explosion in Crosby https://t.co/P2wteMNkgs pic.twitter.com/ukulsXU4RD — ABC13 Houston (@abc13houston) April 2, 2019 CROSBY, Texas (KTRK) -- Firefighters battled a chemical plant fire at KMCO at 16503 Ramsey Road, just off the Crosby Freeway in east Harris County for more than five hours on Tuesday.One person has died at the scene, according to the Harris County Sheriff's Office. Two people were taken to area hospitals by Life Flight. Their conditions have not been released.Late Tuesday evening, the Harris County Fire Marshal's Office announced it has issued a subpoena for Diversified Shelters LLC., as part of its investigation into the cause of the KMCO fire.The Texas Attorney General's Office has also filed a petition against KMCO for violations of the Texas Clean Air Act after the fire sent a black column of smoke into the skies over Crosby.The executive director of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality said the petition seeks a permanent injunction, civil penalties and costs related to investigating the blast. "I offer my condolences to the families who have suffered injury or loss and to the community impacted by the KMCO fire earlier today," says TCEQ Executive Director Toby Baker.Early Tuesday, a shelter-in-place was ordered for all residents within a 1-mile radius of the KMCO plant fire. That order was lifted by mid-afternoon.A number of school districts had sheltered students in place following the blast. Those precautions have been lifted and the students have been released.One worker told ABC13 a leak was detected just before the blast. He said workers were scrambling out of the area, even crawling under fencing to get away. "They told us there was a leak first," said plant worker Randy Villalobos. "So we were leaving. In the process of leaving. The plant blew up. What were you thinking? I'm sure you heard it, you felt it. Just to get out. Get out as fast as you can. ""They told us there was a leak and get out," said Francisco Castillo, who was working at the KMCO plant manufacturing steel pipe. "It exploded before you got out. It really exploded when we were getting out.Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez says the preliminary information is that a transfer line ignited in the area of a tank with Isobutylene and the tank caught on fire. An adjacent storage building with solid goods also caught fire. Firefighters are currently working to contain it. "It was very frightening," said plant worker Justin Trahan. "I've got to say I've only worked in plants for a few years. After that incident in Houston a few weeks ago, it actually started bugging me because this is our profession. This is what we do. But it's just always something that happens elsewhere. "TCEQ emergency response personnel are monitoring the air quality in the vicinity of the fire.The company issued the following statement from John C. Foley, President and CEO of KMCO: "There was an incident resulting in an ignition and fire today at KMCO, LLC in Crosby, Texas. We are deeply saddened to confirm at this time that there have been injuries and one fatality. Those injured have been transported for medical treatment. Our hearts and prayers go out to the individuals involved, as well as our first responders, employees and our community. We have activated the company's emergency response team and incident command center. We are working with local first responders to extinguish the fire. We will give another update as additional information becomes available. We apologize for any inconvenience to residents in the vicinity. The wellbeing of our people, neighbors and the environment remain our top priorities. "Residents report their homes shaking and seeing a thick column of smoke rising into the air. Some residents are evacuating as a precaution.KMCO released a statement around 9:30 p.m. Tuesday in response to questions from the media and community:<doc-sep>EMBED >More News Videos Fire broke out at KMCO plant just before 11 a.m. Tuesday HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- At the same time as the deadly blast and fire at KMCO in Crosby, another structure fire sent a plume of smoke into the air.According to the Harris County Sheriff's Office, a warehouse fire broke out at 15625 Sellers Road.The small warehouse is just off Aldine Bender and Hardy Toll Road.Multiple calls from residents were received by authorities.No injuries were reported.<doc-sep>The Crosby chemical plant where a fire Tuesday killed one and injured two is owned by the specialty chemical company KMCO LLC, a subsidiary of an Austin private investment firm. KMCO's CEO John C. Foley early Tuesday afternoon released a statement that the company is "deeply saddened to confirm at this time that there have been injuries and one fatality. Those injured have been transported for medical treatment. Our hearts and prayers go out to the individuals involved, as well as our first responders, employees, and our community." Foley said the company had activated its emergency response team and incident command center and twice throughout the day apologized for the incident and "any inconvenience to residents in the vicinity. The wellbeing of our people, neighbors and the environment remain our top priorities." KMCO (pronounced "Chem-Co") was founded in 1975 and produces coolant and brake fluid products for the automotive industry, as well as chemicals for the oilfield industry, according to a company press release. The KMCO facility has more than 180 employees and sits on about 200 acres in Crosby, northeast of Houston, with eight distillation columns, 23 reactor systems, 600 tanks and capacity for 250 rail storage cars, according to the company. The plant apparently was undergoing some recent expansions; In July 2018 KMCO broke ground on an expansion project to install a new boiler, cooling tower and associated distribution and condensate return systems meant to "unlock significant production capacity to support our aggressive growth objectives," according to a company Facebook post. KMCO also owns the KMTEX facility in Port Arthur, which sits on 32 acres with 20 million gallons of storage capacity for onsite terminaling as well as a 300 foot barge dock and 100 rail car spaces, according to the company. Both facilities have had multiple penalties for workplace safety, railroad safety and environmental violations cited by the Environmental Protection Agency, the Federal Railroad Administration and Occupational Safety and Health Administration, according to a violation tracker on the advocacy group Good Jobs First. RELATED: KMCO Crosby plant fire: Facility poses high potential for harm, long history of safety violations KMCO is led by John C. Foley who took over as CEO from founder and former owner Artie McFerrin in 2015 after about 13 years at the chemical company Solvay, according Foley's LinkedIn profile. Before that Foley was at Solvay predecessor companies. Jeff McFerrin was described as president of the KMCO in a 2012 company press release. KMCO appears to be active in the local community. In 2011 it became a founding partner of Crosby Education Foundation with a $25,000 donation that helped the local high school buy new microscopes. Owner Resource Group acquired KMCO in 2012 from the McFerrin family. ORG is based in downtown Austin. Jonathan D. Gormin was list as the registered agent in Secretary of State documents and described as ORG's managing director in a 2012 press release. Gormin, William Burnett and Lee Walker were all listed as executive officers for an associated company, ORG KMCO Investment GP in SEC documents. The new owners had apparently been working to improve the facility's safety record. Last year it boasted that it had re-certified in a chemical environmental safety performance program ran by the Society of Chemical Manufacturers and Affiliates. That same industry group also gave KMCO performance improvement awards in 2017 and 2018 recognizing enhancements in health, environmental and workplace safety. But the violations continued under the new owners. Harris County and the state of Texas are suing KMCO over air, water and storm water pollution stemming three incidents in 2013, 2016 and 2017. In all three incidents the company allegedly released strong natural gas odor and air pollutants that could adversely affect human health, welfare and property, according to the state's original petition filed in Harris County District Court. A 2013 natural gas leaked created such a strong odor that a nearby Wal-mart store and the Sacred Heart Catholic School temporarily closed. In a September 2016 incident that the county said violated storm water and water code, KMCO allegedly failed to properly discharge industrial waste water causing complaints that there was" black water and egg-like or natural gas odor" coming a nearby creek, according to court documents. This is in addition to a 2008 lawsuit when Harris County sued KMCO for spills and fumes that gave neighbors headaches. The lawsuit ended in 2009, with a permanent injunction requiring KMCO to pay $100,000 in civil penalties and to give investigators easy access to the facility and prompt notification of releases. The Crosby plant has dozens of OSHA violations since 2010, and an explosion in 2011 sent two workers to a hospital. It has been about a year since the facility's last inspection, according to EPA records, and the company is not compliant with the Clean Air Act.<doc-sep>At least one person is dead and two critically injured after a chemical plant fire on the outskirts of Houston, officials said. The blaze at the KMCO plant was caused by a fire in a tank of colorless flammable gas isobutylene and broke out around 11 a.m. Tuesday, according to the Harris County Sheriff's Office. The Harris County Fire Marshals Office lifted a shelter in place order for those within a mile radius of the plant a little after 3 p.m. local time. The order included closing any windows or doors as well as turning off air-conditioning units. Harris County's emergency management office announced at about 4 p.m. that the fire had been contained and first responders were working to prevent the flames from spreading to nearby chemical tanks. Authorities said at least one person was killed Tuesday when isobutylene ignited and exploded at a chemical plant in Crosby, Texas. KPRC The agency previously announced a 1-mile "no-fly" zone above the plant. Students at all nearby Sheldon Independent School District campuses were initially not permitted to leave school buildings, according to the district. Later, during a midafternoon press conference, Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said authorities were working with the school districts "to make sure that we can get those children into their parents’ arms and get them back home as quickly as possible." Gonzalez wrote on Twitter that a transfer line ignited in the area of the tank of isobutylene "and the tank caught on fire. An adjacent storage building with solid goods also caught fire." Among the victims, one died at the scene of the fire and the two injured were airlifted for treatment, the sheriff said. The KMCO plant has had several compliance violations with the EPA in recent years. An EPA report from last year listed some violations over the last several years of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, which dictates the management of hazardous materials and non-hazardous solid waste. Previous inspections showed KMCO also had violations in regard to the Clean Water and Clean Air acts. Harris County sued KMCO in 2008 for discharging wastewater that exceeded limits on certain pollutants, including ammonia, copper and zinc. KMCO settled with the county in 2009 and agreed to pay $50,000 in civil penalties for violating the state's environmental regulations, according to court documents. KMCO also agreed to pay attorney fees and give $75,000 to a supplemental environmental project. The county filed another lawsuit against KMCO in 2017, claiming the plant once again violated the state's clean water and air regulations. That case is still pending and is scheduled for a trial in June of this year.<doc-sep>
Sixteen days after a fire at a Deer Park chemical facility, another fire at a chemical incident is belching black smoke into the air again. The KMCO facility in Crosby caught fire Tuesday. The facility lies a little more than two and half miles from the Arkema plant that notoriously caught on fire after losing control of its stores of organic peroxides during Hurricane Harvey. The Crosby chemical facility, like the Intercontinental Terminals Co. facility in Deer Park, has a history of environmental and workplace safety issues. The facility is currently not compliant with the federal Clean Water Act. KMCO was in violation of the Clean Water Act for seven of the last 12 quarters. It violated the Clean Air Act three times in the last 12 quarters. Environmental Protection Agency data shows the facility also violated the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act on Feb. 22, 2018. The RCRA regulates how facilities handle hazardous and non-hazardous solid waste. The plant has dozens of OSHA violations since 2010. A runaway reaction sent three employees at the KMCO plant in Crosby to the hospital on Christmas Eve 2010. Workers there couldn't lower the pressure in a reactor and as they tried to fix a clogged line, they accidentally mixed a caustic solution with maleic anhydride, a normally stable chemical. The result was an explosion and fire. Just four days after the ITC fire in Deer Park, a train located at KMCO's Crosby facility caught fire, according to a report from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. The fire lasted for an hour and 19 minutes. Harris County sued the KMCO plant in 2008 for spills and fumes that gave neighbors headaches. The lawsuit ended in 2009, with a permanent injunction requiring KMCO to pay $100,000 in civil penalties and to give investigators easy access to the facility and prompt notification of releases. It has been about a year since the facility's last inspection, according to EPA records. A Houston Chronicle report from 2016 found that there's a major chemical incident once every six weeks in the greater Houston area. The 2016 Chronicle report, researched in coordination with Texas A&M University, evaluated facilities based on the potential dangers posed by chemicals on site and the number of people who lived nearby. That report found that the KMCO facility posed a high potential for harm, a 11.24 out of a 14-point scale. KMCO's safety manager at the time, Kelly Nidini, said the company had significantly upgraded its facilities since 2013, won multiple industry awards and was planning on investing millions, primarily for safety and environmental concerns. "We have no higher priority than ensuring safe and compliant operations," Nidini told the Chronicle in 2016. KMCO's Risk Management Plan states that its worst-case scenario involves a chemical called ethylene oxide. There's a storage tank of 246,000 pounds of the chemical on the site. Ethylene oxide is flammable, toxic and reactive. It's a known human carcinogen. NEWS WHEN YOU NEED IT: Text CHRON to 77453 to receive breaking news alerts by text message | Sign up for breaking news alerts delivered to your email here.