HOUSTON (AP) — Exxon Mobil says it's investigating a chemical release at its petrochemical complex in suburban Houston.
For several hours on Sunday, residents in a neighborhood in Baytown were asked by authorities to stay in their homes after the release was reported. The shelter in place was lifted by Baytown authorities later in the afternoon.
In a statement, Exxon Mobil says it has shut down two chemical product pipelines that carry dilute propylene at its Baytown complex to investigate the release.
The Irving, Texas-based company says it's "working with local emergency responders and closely with local officials to ensure the safety of the public."
The cause of the release was not immediately known.
The Baytown complex, located east of Houston, includes a refinery and twochemical plants.