WE
WE COULD
WE COULD HAVE YET ANOTHER VERY SERIOUS EXPLOSION.
SERIOUS EXPLOSION. YOU KNOW, WE'VE ALREADY SEEN
HOW MUCH DAMAGE THE PREVIOUS
EXPLOSIONS HAVE DONE.
SO IF WE WERE TO IMPACT HAVE,
MORE BLASTS LIKE THAT WE MIGHT
GET FAR MORE TO WORRY ABOUT.
MR. JANIS FROM THE PORT ARTHUR
SAFEEY SPECIALIST.
SAFEEY SPECIALIST. HE'S BEEN HERE A LONG TIME.
I SHOULD REFRAIN LET'S JUST SAY
A SEASONED PROFESSIONAL.
A MAN OF GREAT CREDIBILITY.
IS THE WAY WE SHOULD SAY THIS.
FAIRLY IMPORTANT SITUATION WE
ARE DEALING WITH HERE.
ONE PERSON OR SOURCE I TALKED
WITH THIS AFTERNOON MAY HAVE
BEEN HYPERBOLIC TO SOME EXTENT.
HE SAID LOOK, IF THAT IT'S INTO
THE SPHERE TANK'S, A LOT WILL
HAPPEN IN PORT NECHES.
LET ME PUT THAT FORWARD TO YOU.
YOU WOULD HAVE A SERIOUS ISSUE?
>> CERTAINLY.
>> CERTAINLY. THAT'S THE WORST CASE SCENARIO.
THE FOUR MILE RADIUS WOULD BE
CONSIDERING.
CONSIDERING. THE FOUR MILE RADIUS WOULD BE
THE WORSE CASE SCENARIO.
CUMULATIVELY, MOST OF THOSE
THINGS IF THE GOLF AN
EXPLOSION, IT WOULD BE A MAJOR
EVENT.
EVENT.
EVENT. I
EVENT. I DON'T KNOW THE LIKELIHOOD OF
THAT BUT YOU CANNOT DISCOUNT IT.
>> WHEN YOU SOUGHT THE VIDEO
FROM EARLIER WHERE YOU HAD
PARTS OF THE COLUMNS FLYING
THROUGH THE AIR LIKE ROCKETS.
IT LOOKED LIKE A NASA LAUNCH
FOR ALL INTENSIVE PURPOSES.
WHEN YOU SAUCED UP LIKE THAT,
IT'S POSSIBLE SOMETHING COULD
AGAIN FALL AND HIT ONE OF THESE
HIGHLY PRESSURIZED SPHERE
TANK'S.
TANK'S.
TANK'S. >> THE EVACUATION ZONE EXPANDED
AFTER THAT INCIDENT.
I WOULD IMAGINE THE FEAR IS,
SOMETHING ELSE WOULD LAUNCH
ITSELF AND LAND ON THE TANK.
AND INITIATE LATER EXPLOSIONS.
>> THE METAL FATIGUE IS
SOMETHING WE TALKED ABOUT.
I WAS COMFORTED TO HEAR SHORTLY
A FEW MINUTES AGO, THE METAL
FATIGUE, THOSE FEARS WOULD HAVE
TO BURN A LONG TIME FOR THEIR
TO BE AN ISSUE OF THE FLAMES
GETTING IN AND THE SECOND
EXPLOSION GIFT OF A LOT OF
FIRE.
FIRE.
FIRE. >>
FIRE. >> THE ISSUE WOULD BE MORE THE
WORST CIRCUMSTANCE WOULD BE THE
DEBRIS COMPROMISING THE TANK.
THAN THE ACTUAL TANK FAILING.
I'M NOT SAYING YOU CAN'T DO IT.
I THINK IT'S MORE LIKELY, IF
THOSE TANKS WERE COMPROMISED,
IT WOULD BE SOMETHING FROM
ANOTHER PART OF THE PLANT.
>> FOLKS, AS YOU'RE WATCHING
THIS.
THIS.
THIS. WE
THIS. WE WANT TO UNDERSCORE OUR GOAL
HERE IS NOT TO SCARE, BUT TO
REMIND AND INFORM AND TRY TO
GET AS MUCH PERSPECTIVE AS WE
CAN.
CAN.
CAN. TOM,
CAN. TOM, THAT'S WHY WE HAVE YOU
HERE.
HERE.
HERE. WE
HERE. WE HOPE YOU ARE HEATING THE
MANDATORY EVACUATION ORDERS.
AT THIS POINT, THIS TOO MUCH
UNCERTAINTY.
UNCERTAINTY. THIS AFTERNOON, A RAPIDLY
EXPANDING EVACUATION ZONE
FORCED IT TO BE MANDATORY.
THIS IS NOT SOMETHING TO PLAY
AROUND WITH.
AROUND WITH. >> NOT SOMETHING TO PLAY AROUND
WITH.
WITH.
WITH. WE
WITH. WE DON'T EVER EXPECT THE WORSE
CASE SCENARIO TO DEVELOP.
IF IT DOES, YOU DON'T WANT TO
BE THE PERSON -- THAT TAKES US
BACK TO HURRICANE SCENARIOS.
WHERE WE SEE A FORECAST
CATEGORY 5 HURRICANE ON THE
WAY.
WAY.
WAY. AND
WAY. AND YET PEOPLE SOMETIMES DECIDE
NOT TO EVACUATE OUT OF THE
AREA.
AREA.
AREA. HERE AGAIN, JUST SAFETY IS THE
WATCHWORD.
WATCHWORD. WHEN YOU SOUGHT THIS EARLY
REACTION, TPC SPOKE PROUDLY OF
IMMEDIATELY PUTTING IN ITS
EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLAN.
WERE YOU COMFORTABLE WITH THE
EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLAN?
I KNOW THAT'S PART OF THE
SAFETY AND THE BUSINESS.
DID IT WORK WELL WHAT YOU CAN
SEE?
SEE?
SEE? I
SEE? I KNOW YOU ARE NOT ON SITE.
>> I'M NOT ON SITE.
IT SEEMED LIKE THEY WERE DOING
EVERYTHING WE COULD.
I THINK THE PERCEPTION WAS IN
THE EARLY AFTERNOON, OKAY, WE
ARE JUST WATCHING IT BURN NOW.
>> THEY WOULD ASSUME IT WOULD
BURN ITSELF OFF.
>> THE SECOND EVENT HAPPENED.
THE AUTHORITIES IMMEDIATELY
JUMPED, OKAY NOW WE HAVE A REAL
POSSIBILITY OF SOMETHING ELSE
SERIOUS HAPPENING.
SERIOUS HAPPENING. ESPECIALLY IF SOMETHING FLIES UP
AND GETS TO THE STORAGE TANKS.
WE HAVE A BIG ISSUE.
>> CAN WE TALK A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT YOUR KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THIS
PLANT ITSELF.
PLANT ITSELF. I GREW UP HERE.
WE KNOW IT IS BUTADIENE DATES
TO THE FIRST.
THEY MAIN SET SYNTHETIC RUBBER
DURING THE WAR.
AS I RECALL.
THIS IS LARGELY A SYNTHETIC
RUBBER SUIT FACILITY.
>> I KNOW THOSE FOLKS WHO WORK
THERE MY WIFE WENT TO SCHOOL AT
PNG.
PNG.
PNG. THEY
PNG. THEY USED TO LISTEN TO THE
ALARMS AND THE PLANTS AND THEY
KNEW WHAT WAS GOING ON BECAUSE
OF THE GUYS WHO WORKED THERE.
>> I WAS IN THE BAND AND WE
PRACTICED UNDER THE SHOWER OR
THE SHADOW OF THESE TOWERS.
THEY STILL DO.
>> AS FAR AS WHAT IS THE ACTUAL
PROCESS INSIDE THE PLANT.
I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH THOSE.
I KNOW THE PLANTS I'VE WORKED
AT EMMA THE SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
THEY HAVE FOR INCIDENTS LIKE
THESE ARE EXTENSIVE.
ISOLATION TECHNIQUES ARE MADE
FOR THESE TYPES OF INCIDENTS
HERE.
HERE.
HERE. >>
HERE. >> ELABORATE ON THAT.
WHAT'S AN EXAMPLE OF THAT?
>> YOU HAVE A SYSTEM YOU CONTAIN
BY CLOSING VALVES.
AND ISOLATING THAT PROCESS
WITHIN A CONTAINED AREA.
TO KEEP THINGS LIKE THIS FROM
GETTING OUT OF CONTROL.
YOU ISOLATE THOSE AND
CONTAINMENT PERIODS.
CONTAINMENT PERIODS. >> THEY LIKELY FELT AS THOUGH
THEY HAD A GRASP ON THINGS AND
THEN WE HAD THE 1:45 PM SECOND
EXPLOSION.
EXPLOSION. >> I THINK WHAT YOU SAW WAS A
CONTAINED PIECE OF EQUIPMENT
THAT FAILED DUE TO METAL
FATIGUE.
FATIGUE.
FATIGUE. I'M NOT AN ENGINEER.
BUT I KNOW THAT PARTICULAR
PLANT, IT WAS EXPECTED FOR
EXTREME HEAT FOR AROUND 18
HOURS OF THE TIME.
THE LIKELIHOOD A GASKET OR A
PIECE OF PIPING FIELD.
THE COLUMN ITSELF EXPERIENCE A
FAILURE, WOULD CAUSE SOMETHING
LIKE THAT.
LIKE THAT. >> IN A SITUATION LIKE THAT,
ARE YOU GOING TO RAPIDLY
EVACUATE MOST OF THE PEOPLE,
SOME 27 TO 30 PEOPLE ON SITE AT
THE TIME OF THE INITIAL BLAST.
ARE MOST OF THOSE PEOPLE GOING
TO BE IMMEDIATELY EVACUATED
FROM THE PLANT?
WILL SOME OF THOSE PEOPLE HAVE
TO STAY TO TAKE CARE AND MAKE
SURE IT DOESN'T GROW INTO A
BIGGER SITUATION?
BIGGER SITUATION? >> WHATEVER SHIFT WAS ON LAST
NIGHT.
NIGHT.
NIGHT. I
NIGHT. I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE
WERE INVOLVED.
WERE INVOLVED. I IMAGINE IT'S A FULL
COMPLEMENT OF FOLKS.
>> THEIR ESTIMATE WAS 27 TO 30.
>> THAT WOULD'VE BEEN IN
CONTROL ROOMS OR OPERATING
AREAS.
AREAS.
AREAS. HOW EXPLOSION PROOF THOSE
STRUCTURES ARE, THAT REMAINS TO
BE SEEN.
BE SEEN.
BE SEEN. THEY ARE DESIGNED FOR THAT.
AS SOON AS THE PLANT GOT
INVOLVED AS IT WAS.
MOST OF THOSE PEOPLE GOT OUT.
THERE IS EVACUATION DRILLS. YOU
GET THOSE FOLKS OUT OF THERE.
BECAUSE --
BECAUSE -- >> DID THEY LEAVE THE SITE?
>> I DON'T KNOW.
I IMAGINE THEY WOULD GATHER
SOMEPLACE.
SOMEPLACE. THEY WOULD SHUT DOWN AND
ISOLATE EVERYTHING AND HEAD OUT
OF DODGE.
OF DODGE.
OF DODGE. TODAY, DURING I IMAGINE THEY
ONLY HAD EMERGENCY RESPONSE
PERSONNEL.
PERSONNEL. THERE WOULD BE NO REASON TO
HAVE AN OPERATING CREW IN THERE
TODAY.
TODAY.
TODAY. I
TODAY. I MENTION THE SHIFT ON LAST
NIGHT I IMAGINE THEY EVACUATED
TO A SAFE PLACE AS SOON AS THEY
POSSIBLY COULD.
POSSIBLY COULD. >> THREE INJURIES ONLY THREE
AND THAT IS WE ARE SO THANKFUL
FOR THE MEN AND WOMEN ON SITE.
AND WHAT THEY DID TO TRY TO
CONTAIN THIS AND GET OUT OF
THERE SAFELY.
THERE SAFELY. >> A BROKEN ARM.
THE EXPLOSION OF THAT VARIETY.
NOT TO TRIVIALIZE THE BROKEN.
TTAT'S A BIG DEAL TO THE GUY
HIS ARM IS BROKE.
>> BUT YOU HAVE YOUR LIFE.
AND THE FAMILY IS OKAY.
WE HAVE CREWS STANDING BY.
I'M GETTING CALLS FOR THE NEWS
CONFERENCE AND WE EXPECT TO
START IN THE NEXT 15 OR 20
MINUTES HERE.
MINUTES HERE. WITH JEFFERSON COUNTY
AUTHORITIES AND THE
REPRESENTATIVES FROM TPC.
>> I SUSPECT WE WILL LEARN A
LOT MORE NOW.
I GOT HERE ABOUT 11 HOURS AGO.
I WAS CALLING THE COUNTY ON THE
WAY IN AND LEARNING THINGS.
HE'S BEEN WORKING AFTER HAVING
HEARD THE BLAST OVERNIGHT.
IN FACT, COUNTY JUDGE BRANICK,
HIS WIFE SHERRY, THE WONDERFUL
SHERRY THOUGHT SOMEONE WAS
SHOOTING AT THE HOUSE.
>> SHE SAID JEFF, GO GET THE
GUN.
GUN.
GUN. THAT'S THE STORY HE WAS SHARING
WITH US AT 4 AM THIS MORNING.
>> HE WAS TRYING TO PROTECT THE
HOME.
HOME.
HOME. HE'S BEEN WORKING AT THIS FOR
HOURS AND HOURS.
>> WHAT I WAS THINKING ABOUT,
ALL THE PEOPLE TRYING TO BOARD
UP.
UP.
UP. WE
UP. WE SAW THEM WORKING BEHIND
DAIRY QUEEN ON MAGNOLIA.
ALL THE PEOPLE TRYING TO
CONTAIN THE DAMAGE.
AT 1:45 PM, BLAST NUMBER TWO.
AND GET OUT OF HERE.
I FEEL LIKE A LOT OF PEOPLE
JUST LEFT AND TRIED TO DO WHAT
THEY COULD TO SECURE THE
PROPERTY.
PROPERTY.
PROPERTY. >> AFTER THE SECOND ONE I WOULD
GO.
GO.
GO. >>
GO. >> TOM, THAT'S WHY YOU HAVE ALL
THE EXPERIENCE.
THE EXPERIENCE. YOU HAVE WISE WORDS.
WE'RE LOOKING AT THE VIDEO FROM
EARLIER.
EARLIER.
EARLIER. IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO TELL
YOU AT THIS POINT FRIENDS, WE
DON'T KNOW WHAT THE FIRE LOOKS
LIKE WE HAVE HEATED THE
EVACUATION ORDERS AND MOVED OUR
CREWS úTHIS IS VIDEO TAKING
DURING THE 4 PM HOUR FROM THE
SISTER STATION HELICOPTER
FLYING OVER PORT NECHES, LET'S
SAY THREE HOURS AGO.
THIS IS NOT LIVE.
WE ARE LIVE WITH YOU HERE AT
7:20 PM 12NEWS ON ABC AND NBC.
THIS WAS TAKEN EARLIER.
WE'VE GOTTEN OUR CREWS OUT OF
DODGE AS WELL.
TO QUOTE TOM.
>> WE MAY LOSE IMPORTANT
VIDEOTAPE THAT WE ARE GOING TO
KEEP OUR CREWS SAFE.
WE HAVE FOLKS THAT COULD BE IN
THE AREA.
THE AREA.
THE AREA. PROBABLY WOULD BE IF WE LET
THEM STAY.
THEM STAY. BUT WE TOLD THEM TO GET OUT.
>> WITH THE AFTERNOON EXPLOSION,
BECAME APPARENT WE NEEDED TO RE-
SHIFT THE RESOURCES AND HEED
ALL THE WARNINGS.
WANTS THE MANDATORY EVACUATIONS
WERE NOT.
WERE NOT.
WERE NOT. THAT'S WHAT WE DID.
YOU'RE WATCHING VIDEO FROM
EARLIER.
EARLIER.
EARLIER. THE AERIAL VIDEO.
TOM, THAT'S CLEARLY PART A
SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF TANKS AND
OTHER EQUIPMENT THAT ALREADY
BURNED.
BURNED.
BURNED. WHAT YOU CALL THE COLUMNS?
THE LARGER WAS?
>> THEY ARE PART OF THE
PROCESS.
PROCESS.
PROCESS. THEY COULD BE FRACTIONATING
COLUMNS OR REACTORS.
DEPENDING ON WHAT'S IN THE
PLANT.
PLANT.
PLANT. I'M ASSUMING A LOT OF THEM ARE
FRACTIONATING COLUMNS.
FRACTIONATING COLUMNS. >> IS THE FEAR SO SPHERICAL,
THE TOP RIGHT, THE SMALLER
SPHERICAL TANKS.
SPHERICAL TANKS. BOWL SHAPED ITEMS ARE OF
BIGGEST CONCERN AT THIS POINT.
>> I WOULD THINK.
>> AGAIN, THIS IS VIDEO FROM
EARLIER OF THE TPC PLANT IN
PORT NECHES, THE FIRST
EXPLOSION BEFORE 1 AM.
THE SECOND 12 HOURS LATER, JUST
BEFORE 2 PM THAT SENT SO MANY IN
MID-COUNTY'S GRANDLY.
MID-COUNTY'S GRANDLY. NOW HAVE TENS OF THOUSANDS WHO
HAVE BEEN TOLD BY JUDGE BRANICK
AND THE JEFFERSON COUNTY
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT TO GET
OUT OF THERE.
>> IT'S INTERESTING, YOUR
COMMENTS EARLIER.
COMMENTS EARLIER. I GUESS FORD PARK, NOT THAT
MANY PEOPLE THERE.
I WOULD THINK MOST OF THOSE
PEOPLE WOULD BE THERE.
BY NOW.
BY NOW.
BY NOW. THEY STARTED THE PROCESS WE
LEARN RIGHT ABOUT 5 PM.
MAYBE THEY HAVE FAMILY
ELSEWHERE THEY ARE ABLE TO YOU
KNOW BE A PART OF THAT AND GO
TO THOSE HOMES.
BUT A SHELTER IS IN PLACE AT