Explosion At Praxair Hydrogen Plant

A fire and explosion at the Motiva Enterprises LLC refinery complex in Port Arthur shut down the hydrogen unit but caused no injuries.

PORT ARTHUR, Texas (AP) - A fire and explosion at the Motiva (moh-TEE'-vuh) Enterprises LLC refinery complex in Port Arthur shut down the hydrogen unit but caused no injuries.

The accident happened around 10:30 a.m. Tuesday in the hydrogen plant operated by Praxair Inc.

Praxair spokeswoman Susan Szita (ZEE'-tuh) Gore says all emergency systems operated as designed and "the situation was very quickly contained."

She told The Associated Press that about 10 Praxair employees were present when the accident happened and nobody was hurt. The cause of the accident is unknown at this stage.

She had no details on what burned or a damage estimate, saying Praxair was assessing the situation. Szita Gore says there was no damage to Motiva facilities or to the surrounding community.

She says the Motiva refinery uses hydrogen in the production of low sulfur gasoline.

 

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