HOUSTON (AP) — The Latest on a Houston-area chemical plant that lost power when it was swamped by Harvey's floods, making it impossible to cool combustible chemicals (all times local):
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10 a.m.
Authorities say they heard additional small blasts at the flooded chemical plant near Houston where 2 tons of corrosive chemicals burned.
Harris County Fire Marshal spokeswoman Rachel K. Moreno says the blasts were heard about 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the Arkema Inc. plant but no fire or smoke was seen. She says sheriff's deputies flew over the plant Friday morning, but she doesn't know what they observed.
The container exploded and caught fire early Thursday and burned itself out by noon, but an additional eight trailers containing the highly unstable organic peroxides were also expected to blow after generators failed and refrigeration was lost.
Moreno says authorities don't know if what she characterized as "pops" blasts were caused by exploding containers or pressure releasing from valves.
Arkema notified fire officials Tuesday morning about the facility's power outage, which they believe was caused by flooding from Harvey.